New Westminster's Tony Eberts, a longtime letter-to-the-editor writer and Province reporter, has passed away at age 81.
According to The Province newspaper, Eberts spent more than three decades in the newsroom, covering New Westminster and environmental issues.
Eberts' letters to the editor often appeared in the Burnaby NOW and The Record, his hometown publication.
Eberts died on Saturday, April 27, at Royal Columbian Hospital. Earlier this year, he was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, which causes severe weakening of the muscles. His last letter to the editor ran in The Record ran on Wednesday, April 24 - just four days before his passing.
Eberts is survived by his son Jerry, daughters Janet and Nancy, and grandson Jake. He is predeceased by his wife Dorothy, whom he met while working at The Province.
According to The Province, reporter Ashley Ford sat next to Eberts for years and remembered him as "a real gentleman" who "didn't take guff from anyone and ... knew how to ask the right questions."
Ford also told The Province that Eberts was "one of the best writers the paper ever had."
"Tony's big belief was in telling it like it was," he said. "I know Tony believed this implicitly: If you turn out a good newspaper, people will read it. Good journalism will bring good readers."
With files from Stephanie Ip, The Province
