Ezell, former Times-Union biz editor, dies at 72

Wayne Ezell, a former business editor at the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, died Sunday in a bicycle accident at the age of 72.

Teresa Stepzinski of the Times-Union writes, ”

“Mr. Ezell was a well-respected journalist.

“‘Wayne Ezell was the ultimate journalist. Reporter, editor, publisher, reader advocate and editorial writer, he personified the best in journalism. His passion for the profession never wavered,’ Mike Clark, editorial page editor of the Times-Union, said of his friend and colleague.

“Mr. Ezell became an editorial writer at the Times-Union in September 2011. He previously served as the newspaper’s reader advocate for three years, as well as business editor for three years. Before joining the Times-Union in 2005, he was publisher of the Winter Haven News Chief, a Central Florida daily then owned by Morris Communications, parent company of the Times-Union.

“Earlier in his career, Mr. Ezell was editor of the Boca Raton News, deputy managing editor of the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader, city editor of the Tallahassee Democrat and capital bureau chief for Gannett’s Florida newspapers in Tallahassee.”

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