Former Penrith Press editor Bruce Loney remembered as ‘generous’ and ‘passionate’

Former Penrith Press sub-editor Judy Prisk pays tribute to “unflappable, generous, forward-thinking and passionate” former boss Bruce Loney.

The late Bruce Loney when he worked for NewsLocal (formerly known as Cumberland Newspapers)

Bruce Loney was a big man with a big heart and a big belief in the important role newspapers play keeping their communities informed, involved, interested and, of course, entertained.

He was a photographer before he turned to editing, and readers of this newspaper in the 1980s — his first editorship — would have rejoiced in his brilliant use of images to complement the news stories, making the Penrith Press sing every issue, every week.

Bruce Loney with his Penrith Press editorial and advertising staff in the 80s.

Mr Loney, of Faulconbridge, died at home on Tuesday aged 73, surrounded by his loved ones.

The Penrith Press in Mr Loney’s days as editor had a small but talented team of reporters who worked closely with Col Millington, the newspaper’s well-known photographer. He and ‘’Millo’’ would argue for hours over which shot should take the coveted page one spot and which should be relegated to the dreaded inside pages.

Mr Loney always won, and his eye and natural talent for designing news pages meant the Press was far superior to its competitor, Fairfax’s Penrith Star. Sometimes (with a twinkle in his eye) he’d say he could almost feel sorry for the Star — but he wasn’t bragging about his efforts. He only ever bragged about his team: they were ‘’the best, the smartest, the toughest, the most talented’’.

Bruce Loney was the Editor in Chief for Cumberland Newspapers. Picture: Paul Melville Cumberland Historical

He loved talking to shopkeepers, parking wardens, police officers, sportsmen and women and coaches and managers, anyone and everyone who contributed to his city of Penrith.

Eventually, though, his skills with both newspapers and people meant a move to Cumberland Newspapers’ head office in Parramatta was inevitable, and in the early 1990s he was appointed editor-in-chief.

Old school production.

He was perfectly suited to his new role: he was unflappable, generous, forward-thinking and passionate about his stable of newspapers and all who worked for them.

Mr Loney is survived by his partner Sandra ‘’Sandy’’ Plowright, his children Melissa, Donovan, Ben and Rebecca, and his beloved grandchildren.

His funeral will be held at 1pm on Thursday at Leura Gardens.

Bruce Loney: October 6, 1945 — January 8, 2019