THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 3, 1997 TAG: 9701030471
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GUY FRIDDELL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 55 lines
Ben Wahrman, a civic leader in Hampton Roads who founded the Virginia Beach Sun, died Dec. 18 in Escondido, Calif., after a short illness related to a stroke. He was 86.
A gifted promoter and organizer, he led in 1954 in creating Norfolk's International Azalea Festival. To mark in 1957 the 350th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, he conceived the idea and was executive director of a naval review in Norfolk of the world's warships. Queen Elizabeth II attended among many dignitaries.
Born in 1910 in New Jersey, the youngest of three sons, he grew up in Norfolk. He attended Drexell Institute and Bucknell University but left during the Depression one semester before graduation. Among many papers, he worked for The Washington Post, The Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch and The Richmond News-Leader.
Sports editor for a decade at The News-Leader, he wrote a daily column, ``Warmin' Up with Wahrman.'' His easy, conversational style and support of causes for youths lured a large following. Readers called him, out of affection, ``Ali Ben'' Wahrman for his lack of luck picking game winners.
During World War II, he enlisted at 32 in the Marine Corps and, after basic training, went to the Solomon Islands as combat correspondent serving under Capt. Paul Douglas, later the U.S. senator from Illinois. After an extensive tour of duty, he contracted malaria and was sent to New Zealand to recover.
In 1947, he returned to Norfolk. With a $5,000 loan from his father, he founded the Virginia Beach Sun. In response to a friend's urging, he wrote an editorial advocating increasing sums for under-funded black public schools. That alienated some advertisers, and he sold the paper to a holding company.
He took his savvy and energy to rescue a struggling ``Gold Rush Days'' in Arizona. Visiting the Phoenix Press Club, he fell in love with Jeannette Hanig, advertising manager for Goldwater's Department Stores. For their 12th wedding anniversary, Wahrman, ever the romantic, returned to the press club and bought the bar stool on which she was sitting when they met.
Returning to Norfolk, he became editor of Norfolk Magazine and directed special events for the Chamber of Commerce. He twice received the Virginia Travel Council's Man of the Year Award.
He joined Reynolds Metals and played a major role in creating the nation's first aluminum can recycling program. He became the Richmond corporation's community relations director.
Retiring in 1977, he returned to newspapering, writing on environmental and political issues for The San Diego Union-Tribune and writing a golfing column for The Times Advocate in Escondido.
He is survived by his wife, Jean, of Escondido; his elder brother, Leon, of Savannah, Ga.; his sons, Wayne of Los Angeles and Michael of New York, and two grandchildren, Lillian and Madeline.
Ben Wahrman, his wife said Thursday, was ever dreaming, yet always busy. ILLUSTRATION: Ben Wahrman
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY