Paul Beers

Beers joined The Patriot-News in 1957, he began his journalism career as a stringer for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Bulletin while still a student at Girard College, graduated in 1949, and a 1953 graduate of Wilkes College, where he earned an English degree, served in the U.S. Navy from 1953 to 1955, and earned his masters' degree in 1956 from the Columbia University School of Journalism.

Beers started his popular and long-running Reporter At Large column in 1961, where he won numerous awards for journalism, and is author of 5 books about Pennsylvania people and politics, and in 1981, he was named associate editor of The Patriot and The Evening News. He left The Patriot-News in December 1985 to become legislative historian for the state Capitol.

He is survived by his son, Philip Benjamin Beers, and wife, Michelle L. Beers; grandson, Jenson Paul Beers; and his ex wife, Joan Shoemaker; all of Rocky Hill, CT.

A visitation will be held 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with the Memorial Service at 6:30 PM Thursday, January 27, 2011 in the Neill Funeral Home, 3501 Derry St., Harrisburg.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to HACC, 1 HACC Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17110.