Sam Keach, whose family has been a fixture in Texas journalism for 80 years, died April 24 in Corpus Christi.

Keach was well-known across the state and was former editor of The Robstown Record (later The Nueces County Record Star), beginning his newspaper work as a “printer’s devil” and photographer at 12 years old.

He earned his Bachelor of Journalism degree in 1966 from The University of Texas.
While at UT, he was managing editor of The Daily Texan and worked on the sports and news staff, covering some of Darrell K. Royal’s greatest moments with the Longhorns on the gridiron and in the locker room.

He was one of four generations of his family to serve as president of the South Texas Press Association. He authored the book “A Family Affair – the First 75 years of the South Texas Press Association,” published in 2002. He served as the association’s historian until his death.

The Nueces County Keach Family Library was named in honor of him and his family’s 80 years in journalism, informing the public, and encouraging the continuation of education of youth in the area.

Read his full obituary here: https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/caller/196099038

The adjacent photo, with Keach in the back, was taken during the 2019 South Texas Press Association convention in La Grange, Texas. Others shown are Bill Cooke, left, retired editor-publisher of Rockdale (Texas) Reporter, and Larry Jackson, a Daily Texan staffer with Sam, who worked in editor-publisher roles at several Texas community papers, including Wharton, La Grange, Pecos and Round Rock. Cooke went to North Texas State University. Former UT professor and Dallas Morning News alum Griff Singer is on the right.

The group visited the Texas Czech Heritage Center at the Fayette County Fair Grounds, where a replica of a typical early Texas Czech community is recreated. Among the items was a town print shop, complete with all the old foundry type and hot metal type and letterpresses typical of the era.

Singer added: “All of us pictured worked in the hot metal days at one time or another, and we explained to the 60-year-old kids and younger in the crowd how it all worked. It was fun recalling the terminology of yesteryear, such as “coins” for the metal used to lock all the type and “furniture” (the wooden spacing material) into a chase (the steel frame that held the type on the press.)”