Bertram (Bert) A. Workum, longtime reporter for the now-defunct The Kentucky Post, died at his home Thursday.
Workum with the late U.S. Rep. Gene Snyder in a photo from Feb, 27, 1973 (courtesy of the Kenton County Public Library archives).
Workum, 75, recently learned he had in operable cancer and entered at-home hospice care in his Cincinnati apartment. He was discovered by a friend who was checking on him Thursday morning.
Workum worked the police beat among numerous assignments, and was a feature writer for The Post. He was later a correspondent for community newspapers in Cincinnati and a business magazine based in Memphis. He is survived by a brother in Columbus, Ohio.
Workum had a collection of several hundred hard-bound books, including scores of books about World War II, and as many books of poetry.
He had suffered for many years from several nearly incapacitating and painful illnesses but never lost a sense of humor or a friendly spirit. His many friends plan a memorial celebration of his life. His body was left to medical science (University of Cincinnati College of Medicine).
Courtesy of David Wayne Brown
thank you for doing this. Our family appreciates it.
Andrew Workum
Bert’s brother
Bert was my mentor at The Kentucky Post when I was hired there as an intern in 1972. I could not have asked for one better. With his help, I was able to prove to the Post’s crusty editor, Vance Trimble, that I could handle a beat and when my internship expired, I applied to be–and was hired as–a reporter. A gourmet, he also saved my first dinner party for the staff when I grabbed a canister I thought was flour to thicken the gravy in a coq au vin. It was powdered sugar. To this day I don’t know what magic he performed to rescue the mess and, although we did not eat coq au vin that night, he turned it into an entree that was very tasty. He remains and will continue to remain one of the icons of my career.–Carol Stewart Ellison
A great friend, always had a smile. He was also the smartest person I have ever known. He was just a great and unique individual. God Bless Bert.