Edward C. Brezon Jr.

Edward Christopher Brezon Jr., of Trappe,MD, a former wire editor and web editor for The Star Democrat and The Sunday Star, died at his home Thursday, Jan. 31, 2002. He was 51. Born in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 22, 1950, he was the son of the late Mary Ellen Abel and Edward C. Brezon Sr., D.D.S. He began his journalism career in 1983 as an intern at WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge, La., where he worked with the Special Projects Bureau providing still and video photography and researched in-depth reports for award-winning investigative reporter John Camp. In January 1985 he left WBRZ to join the staff of WRBT-TV in Baton Rouge, where he worked for a year videotaping and editing local and statewide news stories. In 1986, he and his wife, Sheryl, started Depictions, a visual arts service which they operated for several years. It offered free-lance and part-time photography services and design and art services. In June 1986, Mr. Brezon also joined the staff of the Pointe Coupee Democrat, a weekly newspaper in New Roads, La., where he was a reporter, photographer and then editor. In July 1987, he joined the staff of The Star Democrat. He was named wire editor in 1989. In 1991 he won the John Hay Whitney Fellowship, which took him to Paris, France, where he spent nearly a year working as a copy editor on the staff of the International Herald Tribune. At the fellowship''s conclusion he returned to The Star Democrat. He became editor of the newspaper''s online edition in 1999. He continued to work for The Star Democrat and The Sunday Star until last spring, when he retired for health reasons. A talented photographer, he had won awards for his black and white photography in art shows in Louisiana and in Maryland. His photos were part of the Baton Rouge Gallery Christmas Juried Exhibition and the Pointe Coupee Parish Art Show, both in 1986. At the invitation of the Academy of the Arts in Easton in 1991, his photos were on exhibit in a group show. He also had shown photos at the Bellevue Store in the previous year. In 1984, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He also had studied music at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1975; had taken liberal arts courses at Montgomery College in Takoma Park, Md., in 1968-69, and 1973-74; studied art at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1972, and studied art and music at Towson State University from 1969 to 1971. He played the saxophone. Mr. Brezon is survived by his wife of 22 years, Sheryl Southwick Brezon; one son, Julian Christopher Brezon; one sister, Rebecca Golden; and two nephews, Timothy Elder and John Christopher Golden. A Healing Service for Children will be held today at 3 p.m. at Miller Hall at Trinity Cathedral on Goldsborough Street in Easton. A memorial service is to be held at Trinity Cathedral on Monday, Feb. 4 at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Chris'' memory to Academy Art Museum, 106 South Street, Easton, MD., 21601.

Edward C. Brezon Jr.

January 31, 2002