Preston E. Innerst

YORK Preston 'Pat' Eugene Innerst, 87, a newspaper editor and local athlete, died March 10 at his home in York with his wife, Carol McCleary Innerst, at his side. Mr. Innerst was born in Pleasureville, son of the late Morgan and Edna Innerst. He began his nearly 60-year newspaper career in 1943, while still in high school, as a county correspondent for the York Gazette and Daily. Following graduation from York High School in 1945, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. After his discharge from the Marines in 1946, he briefly attended Gettysburg College before returning to the Gazette newsroom where he remained until 1964, leaving as city editor to become night city editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer. In 1970, he joined the staff of the Philadelphia Bulletin where he became assistant managing editor and then managing editor/news. When the Bulletin ceased publication in 1982, he joined the start-up Washington Times, retiring in 2002 as senior deputy managing editor. At every newspaper, reporters as well as other desk editors dubbed him 'Grumpy' because of his demand for perfection in the stories that would appear in print the next day. Besides his passion for the newspaper business, Mr. Innerst was an avid sports enthusiast who excelled in football, baseball, basketball and track at York High School. He was a self-taught golfer with a 3 handicap, had a rare double eagle, and 6 holes-in-one. He was a member of the Out Door Country Club, Shiloh Post American Legion and First Presbyterian Church. Besides his wife, Mr. Innerst leaves a son, Preston, Jr. and his wife Cima in Kensington, Md.; and a daughter, Christine Carol Webby and her husband Richard in Studio City, Calif. From a previous marriage, he leaves a son Robert Innerst and his wife Cindy, in York; and a daughter Carol and her husband Rodger Thomas in Perry Hall, Md. He also leaves two brothers, Kenneth Innerst and his wife Joyce, and Charles Innerst; a sister, Norma Jean Baker and her husband Jack; six grandsons, Donovan and Logan Innerst, Alexander and Lachlan Webby, Adam Innerst, Michael Thomas; a granddaughter, Jennifer DeVincent; and eight great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., 1551 Kenneth Road, York, is handling the arrangements.