Albert Richard Elam, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Radio/TV/Motion Pictures at UNC-Chapel Hill, sailed to new ports on November 15, 2023, peacefully passing at the age of 95 with family present.
An avid sailboat competitor, journalist, University professor, artist, author and traveler, he leaves behind a treasure of stories, instruction, laughs and love of life. Dick Elam was born in 1928 in Pecos, Texas to Lena and Albert (Red) Elam. He began his lifetime profession and avocation in Texas as a writer at The Abilene Reporter-News, where he landed his first job as a cub reporter at the age of 13.
He attended The University of Texas where he was elected editor of The Daily Texan newspaper. He earned his M.A. in Journalism (1969) and instructed as an assistant professor at The University of Texas at Austin, teaching political campaign communications and editorial writing. He subsequently received his Ph.D. in Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1972) and returned in 1977 as Chairman of Radio/TV/Motion Pictures, serving in that position until his retirement in 1999. Among his students are newspaper journalists and editors, television news reporters and sportscasters, along with myriad chroniclers of life who attend carefully to the rules of grammar and composition. He is survived by his four children with Maxine Smith Elam (deceased 1973): Sheryl Elam Pappa (Dennis), Cynthia Elam Darwin (Roger Sturgell), Michaela Elam Wood (Jack) and Kelson Richard Elam (Brenda). Dick’s family also includes his grandchildren and great grandchildren, along with children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of his wife Betty Aills Elam (deceased 1975), his wife Margaret Burch Elam (deceased 2013) and life companion Louise Rubbi Williams (deceased 2021). A celebration of his life will be planned for a later date.
