In September 18, 1999, two bowhunters found the body of Ted Natt, former publisher of The (Longview) Daily News and distinguished SOJC alum, in the wreckage of his helicopter in the woods near the Columbia River.

Natt, 58, had disappeared August 7, while flying from Oysterville, Washington, back to his home in Longview.

The search effort began early the next morning. The Coast Guard, Civil Air patrol, deputies from six counties and dozens of community volunteers scoured the area along the coast and the woodlands surrounding the Columbia, but came up with nothing. The spot where Natt was eventually found, on the Oregon side of the Columbia just north of Knappa, is difficult to reach on foot and obstructed by trees from the air.

After graduating from the UO, Natt stayed involved with the School. He served on the Journalism Advancement Council for 13 years, was a guest speaker in a number of classes and a generous supporter of the current expansion of Allen Hall.

School of Journalism and Communication Dean Tim Gleason said, “Natt was an exemplary journalist and an invaluable member of the SOJC community. We at the School are grateful for his influence and will miss both his presence and his ongoing efforts to improve journalism education.”

Natt, grandson of Daily News Founder John McLelland, took over as publisher of The Daily News in 1977 and took his family’s tradition of excellence to a new level. After the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980, The Daily News won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the disaster. For the duration of his career at The Daily News, Natt wrote a thoughtful and widely-read Page One column.

In June 1999, the Natt family and employees of the newspaper sold their publishing group. Natt stepped down as publisher, hoping to devote more time to the community, his family and the various organizations in which he was involved.

Natt was a founding member of the Cowlitz Economic Council, a member of a journalism fellowship advisory board at Stanford University, past board president of the Columbia Maritime Museum and served on the board of the Associated Press.

He was a respected voice for community newspapers and believed that smaller newspapers have the power and responsibility to be positive forces in their communities.

He is survived by his wife, Diane; sons Ted Jr., David, ’93, and Morgan; daughter, Lori Sue Natt Matson; and five grandchildren.