Morley Ballantine, who was chairwoman and editor of The Durango Herald for more than 50 years, died of respiratory failure Oct. 10 at her Durango home. She was 84.
Ballantine and her late husband, Arthur Ballantine Jr., bought two papers — a weekly and a daily — in 1952 and later merged them into The Durango Herald.
"They were giants in the state," said former Gov. Dick Lamm.
"She had an uncanny knack for knowing how far you could push society to do the right thing," Lamm said. "Durango and Colorado were immensely lucky to have her."
Both Ballantines were moderate Republicans, "but over the last several years we have endorsed more Democrats than Republicans," said Richard Ballantine, Morley Ballantine's son.
In 1968 the husband and wife split: Arthur Ballantine endorsed Richard Nixon and she endorsed Hubert Humphrey.
Over the years the Ballantines took the punches when they lost advertising revenue because of their political stands. One concerned low wages being paid by business owners in La Plata County, according to Duane Smith, professor of history at Fort Lewis College in Durango, who was quoted in The Herald. The paper lost $10,000 in advertising, Smith said. "It must have been difficult for the Ballantines. Some of those advertisers were their close personal friends."
Morley Ballantine was involved in everything from rafting to horseback riding to writing weekly columns about local, national and international issues. She was honored several times by the Colorado Press Association, one year winning five awards for her editorials and columns.
"She was interested in Planned Parenthood, higher education and the arts," said Richard Ballantine. Smith said the family "was very generous" in its support of local causes, including Fort Lewis College.
Morley Ballantine was a stickler on English usage and grammar and never avoided arguments. "But she didn't disagree just to be disagreeing," said Smith.
Elizabeth Morley Cowles was born into a newspaper family in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 21, 1925.
Her grandfather, Gardner Cowles Sr., bought The Des Moines Register in 1903. The paper later became part of the Cowles newspaper chain.
Morley Ballantine studied at Smith College, Stanford and the University of Minnesota but didn't earn a degree until going to Durango, where she graduated from Fort Lewis College.
She married Richard P. Gale Jr. in 1947 and they had one son, Richard. After Gale's death, she married Arthur A. Ballantine and they decided to find a paper to buy, "ideally, away from the rest of the family," said Richard Ballantine.
Eventually the Ballantines bought the Cortez Journal, Mancos Times and Dolores Star.
Arthur Ballantine died in 1975, and she ran the paper until 2003, when Richard Ballantine became publisher.
In addition to him, she is survived by another son, William Ballantine of Kirkland, Wash.; two daughters, Elizabeth Ballantine of McLean, Va., and Helen Healy of Wichita; and nine grandchildren.
∼MORLEY COWLES BALLANTINE
Durango, CO
Morley Cowles Ballantine, publisher and editor of the Durango (CO) Herald and a granddaughter of former Des Moines Register publisher Gardner Cowles, died October 10, 2009, at age 84. The cause was respiratory failure.
She was a former trustee of Simpson College and the Gardner and Florence Call Cowles Foundation. Mrs. Ballantine was born in Des Moines on May 21, 1925 and attended Greenwood Elementary. Her parents, John and Elizabeth Bates Cowles, lived on Tonawanda Dr. In 1935, John Cowles purchased the Minneapolis Star, a six day daily, and the family moved to Minneapolis. He quickly controlled and consolidated the competing Journal and the Tribune, in 1941, publishing the morning Minneapolis Tribune and the afternoon Minneapolis Star. The Cowles family sold those papers, which had been merged, in 1998. In 1952, Morley Cowles Ballantine and her husband, Arthur A. Ballantine Jr., who had been editor of the Harvard Crimson, purchased a daily and a weekly newspaper in Durango, CO. Under their leadership The Durango Herald championed educational and cultural causes and promoted progressive government. Morley Cowles Ballantine won numerous awards for her writing, which included family topics and a lovelorn column along with strong stands on national and international issues. She served on Colorado state judicial nomination and land use planning commissions, advocated for Planned Parenthood in Colorado and in Iowa, and was a founding member of the League of Women Voters in Durango. She was also generous in her philanthropy.
Arthur A. Ballantine Jr. died in 1975. A son Richard succeeded her as publisher in 1983, but she was the paper's editor and chaired its board of directors until her death.
Morley Cowles Ballantine attended Smith College and Stanford University and graduated at age 50 from Fort Lewis College in Durango.
She is survived by sons, Richard of Durango and William of Seattle; daughters, Elizabeth of McLean, Virginia and Helen of Wichita, Kansas; and nine grandchildren. Also surviving are brothers, John and Russell in Minneapolis; and a sister, Sarah in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Ballantine and her late husband, Arthur Ballantine Jr., bought two papers — a weekly and a daily — in 1952 and later merged them into The Durango Herald.
"They were giants in the state," said former Gov. Dick Lamm.
"She had an uncanny knack for knowing how far you could push society to do the right thing," Lamm said. "Durango and Colorado were immensely lucky to have her."
Both Ballantines were moderate Republicans, "but over the last several years we have endorsed more Democrats than Republicans," said Richard Ballantine, Morley Ballantine's son.
In 1968 the husband and wife split: Arthur Ballantine endorsed Richard Nixon and she endorsed Hubert Humphrey.
Over the years the Ballantines took the punches when they lost advertising revenue because of their political stands. One concerned low wages being paid by business owners in La Plata County, according to Duane Smith, professor of history at Fort Lewis College in Durango, who was quoted in The Herald. The paper lost $10,000 in advertising, Smith said. "It must have been difficult for the Ballantines. Some of those advertisers were their close personal friends."
Morley Ballantine was involved in everything from rafting to horseback riding to writing weekly columns about local, national and international issues. She was honored several times by the Colorado Press Association, one year winning five awards for her editorials and columns.
"She was interested in Planned Parenthood, higher education and the arts," said Richard Ballantine. Smith said the family "was very generous" in its support of local causes, including Fort Lewis College.
Morley Ballantine was a stickler on English usage and grammar and never avoided arguments. "But she didn't disagree just to be disagreeing," said Smith.
Elizabeth Morley Cowles was born into a newspaper family in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 21, 1925.
Her grandfather, Gardner Cowles Sr., bought The Des Moines Register in 1903. The paper later became part of the Cowles newspaper chain.
Morley Ballantine studied at Smith College, Stanford and the University of Minnesota but didn't earn a degree until going to Durango, where she graduated from Fort Lewis College.
She married Richard P. Gale Jr. in 1947 and they had one son, Richard. After Gale's death, she married Arthur A. Ballantine and they decided to find a paper to buy, "ideally, away from the rest of the family," said Richard Ballantine.
Eventually the Ballantines bought the Cortez Journal, Mancos Times and Dolores Star.
Arthur Ballantine died in 1975, and she ran the paper until 2003, when Richard Ballantine became publisher.
In addition to him, she is survived by another son, William Ballantine of Kirkland, Wash.; two daughters, Elizabeth Ballantine of McLean, Va., and Helen Healy of Wichita; and nine grandchildren.
∼MORLEY COWLES BALLANTINE
Durango, CO
Morley Cowles Ballantine, publisher and editor of the Durango (CO) Herald and a granddaughter of former Des Moines Register publisher Gardner Cowles, died October 10, 2009, at age 84. The cause was respiratory failure.
She was a former trustee of Simpson College and the Gardner and Florence Call Cowles Foundation. Mrs. Ballantine was born in Des Moines on May 21, 1925 and attended Greenwood Elementary. Her parents, John and Elizabeth Bates Cowles, lived on Tonawanda Dr. In 1935, John Cowles purchased the Minneapolis Star, a six day daily, and the family moved to Minneapolis. He quickly controlled and consolidated the competing Journal and the Tribune, in 1941, publishing the morning Minneapolis Tribune and the afternoon Minneapolis Star. The Cowles family sold those papers, which had been merged, in 1998. In 1952, Morley Cowles Ballantine and her husband, Arthur A. Ballantine Jr., who had been editor of the Harvard Crimson, purchased a daily and a weekly newspaper in Durango, CO. Under their leadership The Durango Herald championed educational and cultural causes and promoted progressive government. Morley Cowles Ballantine won numerous awards for her writing, which included family topics and a lovelorn column along with strong stands on national and international issues. She served on Colorado state judicial nomination and land use planning commissions, advocated for Planned Parenthood in Colorado and in Iowa, and was a founding member of the League of Women Voters in Durango. She was also generous in her philanthropy.
Arthur A. Ballantine Jr. died in 1975. A son Richard succeeded her as publisher in 1983, but she was the paper's editor and chaired its board of directors until her death.
Morley Cowles Ballantine attended Smith College and Stanford University and graduated at age 50 from Fort Lewis College in Durango.
She is survived by sons, Richard of Durango and William of Seattle; daughters, Elizabeth of McLean, Virginia and Helen of Wichita, Kansas; and nine grandchildren. Also surviving are brothers, John and Russell in Minneapolis; and a sister, Sarah in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Morley Ballantine, who was chairwoman and editor of The Durango Herald for more than 50 years, died of respiratory failure Oct. 10 at her Durango home. She was 84.
Ballantine and her late husband, Arthur Ballantine Jr., bought two papers — a weekly and a daily — in 1952 and later merged them into The Durango Herald.
"They were giants in the state," said former Gov. Dick Lamm.
"She had an uncanny knack for knowing how far you could push society to do the right thing," Lamm said. "Durango and Colorado were immensely lucky to have her."
Both Ballantines were moderate Republicans, "but over the last several years we have endorsed more Democrats than Republicans," said Richard Ballantine, Morley Ballantine's son.
In 1968 the husband and wife split: Arthur Ballantine endorsed Richard Nixon and she endorsed Hubert Humphrey.
Over the years the Ballantines took the punches when they lost advertising revenue because of their political stands. One concerned low wages being paid by business owners in La Plata County, according to Duane Smith, professor of history at Fort Lewis College in Durango, who was quoted in The Herald. The paper lost $10,000 in advertising, Smith said. "It must have been difficult for the Ballantines. Some of those advertisers were their close personal friends."
Morley Ballantine was involved in everything from rafting to horseback riding to writing weekly columns about local, national and international issues. She was honored several times by the Colorado Press Association, one year winning five awards for her editorials and columns.
"She was interested in Planned Parenthood, higher education and the arts," said Richard Ballantine. Smith said the family "was very generous" in its support of local causes, including Fort Lewis College.
Morley Ballantine was a stickler on English usage and grammar and never avoided arguments. "But she didn't disagree just to be disagreeing," said Smith.
Elizabeth Morley Cowles was born into a newspaper family in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 21, 1925.
Her grandfather, Gardner Cowles Sr., bought The Des Moines Register in 1903. The paper later became part of the Cowles newspaper chain.
Morley Ballantine studied at Smith College, Stanford and the University of Minnesota but didn't earn a degree until going to Durango, where she graduated from Fort Lewis College.
She married Richard P. Gale Jr. in 1947 and they had one son, Richard. After Gale's death, she married Arthur A. Ballantine and they decided to find a paper to buy, "ideally, away from the rest of the family," said Richard Ballantine.
Eventually the Ballantines bought the Cortez Journal, Mancos Times and Dolores Star.
Arthur Ballantine died in 1975, and she ran the paper until 2003, when Richard Ballantine became publisher.
In addition to him, she is survived by another son, William Ballantine of Kirkland, Wash.; two daughters, Elizabeth Ballantine of McLean, Va., and Helen Healy of Wichita; and nine grandchildren.
∼MORLEY COWLES BALLANTINE
Durango, CO
Morley Cowles Ballantine, publisher and editor of the Durango (CO) Herald and a granddaughter of former Des Moines Register publisher Gardner Cowles, died October 10, 2009, at age 84. The cause was respiratory failure.
She was a former trustee of Simpson College and the Gardner and Florence Call Cowles Foundation. Mrs. Ballantine was born in Des Moines on May 21, 1925 and attended Greenwood Elementary. Her parents, John and Elizabeth Bates Cowles, lived on Tonawanda Dr. In 1935, John Cowles purchased the Minneapolis Star, a six day daily, and the family moved to Minneapolis. He quickly controlled and consolidated the competing Journal and the Tribune, in 1941, publishing the morning Minneapolis Tribune and the afternoon Minneapolis Star. The Cowles family sold those papers, which had been merged, in 1998. In 1952, Morley Cowles Ballantine and her husband, Arthur A. Ballantine Jr., who had been editor of the Harvard Crimson, purchased a daily and a weekly newspaper in Durango, CO. Under their leadership The Durango Herald championed educational and cultural causes and promoted progressive government. Morley Cowles Ballantine won numerous awards for her writing, which included family topics and a lovelorn column along with strong stands on national and international issues. She served on Colorado state judicial nomination and land use planning commissions, advocated for Planned Parenthood in Colorado and in Iowa, and was a founding member of the League of Women Voters in Durango. She was also generous in her philanthropy.
Arthur A. Ballantine Jr. died in 1975. A son Richard succeeded her as publisher in 1983, but she was the paper's editor and chaired its board of directors until her death.
Morley Cowles Ballantine attended Smith College and Stanford University and graduated at age 50 from Fort Lewis College in Durango.
She is survived by sons, Richard of Durango and William of Seattle; daughters, Elizabeth of McLean, Virginia and Helen of Wichita, Kansas; and nine grandchildren. Also surviving are brothers, John and Russell in Minneapolis; and a sister, Sarah in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Ballantine and her late husband, Arthur Ballantine Jr., bought two papers — a weekly and a daily — in 1952 and later merged them into The Durango Herald.
"They were giants in the state," said former Gov. Dick Lamm.
"She had an uncanny knack for knowing how far you could push society to do the right thing," Lamm said. "Durango and Colorado were immensely lucky to have her."
Both Ballantines were moderate Republicans, "but over the last several years we have endorsed more Democrats than Republicans," said Richard Ballantine, Morley Ballantine's son.
In 1968 the husband and wife split: Arthur Ballantine endorsed Richard Nixon and she endorsed Hubert Humphrey.
Over the years the Ballantines took the punches when they lost advertising revenue because of their political stands. One concerned low wages being paid by business owners in La Plata County, according to Duane Smith, professor of history at Fort Lewis College in Durango, who was quoted in The Herald. The paper lost $10,000 in advertising, Smith said. "It must have been difficult for the Ballantines. Some of those advertisers were their close personal friends."
Morley Ballantine was involved in everything from rafting to horseback riding to writing weekly columns about local, national and international issues. She was honored several times by the Colorado Press Association, one year winning five awards for her editorials and columns.
"She was interested in Planned Parenthood, higher education and the arts," said Richard Ballantine. Smith said the family "was very generous" in its support of local causes, including Fort Lewis College.
Morley Ballantine was a stickler on English usage and grammar and never avoided arguments. "But she didn't disagree just to be disagreeing," said Smith.
Elizabeth Morley Cowles was born into a newspaper family in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 21, 1925.
Her grandfather, Gardner Cowles Sr., bought The Des Moines Register in 1903. The paper later became part of the Cowles newspaper chain.
Morley Ballantine studied at Smith College, Stanford and the University of Minnesota but didn't earn a degree until going to Durango, where she graduated from Fort Lewis College.
She married Richard P. Gale Jr. in 1947 and they had one son, Richard. After Gale's death, she married Arthur A. Ballantine and they decided to find a paper to buy, "ideally, away from the rest of the family," said Richard Ballantine.
Eventually the Ballantines bought the Cortez Journal, Mancos Times and Dolores Star.
Arthur Ballantine died in 1975, and she ran the paper until 2003, when Richard Ballantine became publisher.
In addition to him, she is survived by another son, William Ballantine of Kirkland, Wash.; two daughters, Elizabeth Ballantine of McLean, Va., and Helen Healy of Wichita; and nine grandchildren.
∼MORLEY COWLES BALLANTINE
Durango, CO
Morley Cowles Ballantine, publisher and editor of the Durango (CO) Herald and a granddaughter of former Des Moines Register publisher Gardner Cowles, died October 10, 2009, at age 84. The cause was respiratory failure.
She was a former trustee of Simpson College and the Gardner and Florence Call Cowles Foundation. Mrs. Ballantine was born in Des Moines on May 21, 1925 and attended Greenwood Elementary. Her parents, John and Elizabeth Bates Cowles, lived on Tonawanda Dr. In 1935, John Cowles purchased the Minneapolis Star, a six day daily, and the family moved to Minneapolis. He quickly controlled and consolidated the competing Journal and the Tribune, in 1941, publishing the morning Minneapolis Tribune and the afternoon Minneapolis Star. The Cowles family sold those papers, which had been merged, in 1998. In 1952, Morley Cowles Ballantine and her husband, Arthur A. Ballantine Jr., who had been editor of the Harvard Crimson, purchased a daily and a weekly newspaper in Durango, CO. Under their leadership The Durango Herald championed educational and cultural causes and promoted progressive government. Morley Cowles Ballantine won numerous awards for her writing, which included family topics and a lovelorn column along with strong stands on national and international issues. She served on Colorado state judicial nomination and land use planning commissions, advocated for Planned Parenthood in Colorado and in Iowa, and was a founding member of the League of Women Voters in Durango. She was also generous in her philanthropy.
Arthur A. Ballantine Jr. died in 1975. A son Richard succeeded her as publisher in 1983, but she was the paper's editor and chaired its board of directors until her death.
Morley Cowles Ballantine attended Smith College and Stanford University and graduated at age 50 from Fort Lewis College in Durango.
She is survived by sons, Richard of Durango and William of Seattle; daughters, Elizabeth of McLean, Virginia and Helen of Wichita, Kansas; and nine grandchildren. Also surviving are brothers, John and Russell in Minneapolis; and a sister, Sarah in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Ballantine or Cowles memorials in:
- Saint Marks Columbarium Ballantine or Cowles
- Durango Ballantine or Cowles
- La Plata County Ballantine or Cowles
- Colorado Ballantine or Cowles
- USA Ballantine or Cowles
- Find a Grave Ballantine or Cowles
Advertisement
