Services held for former Gazette publisher Zerbe

Carter Zerbe talks to Marcella Bruce, left, and Schmitty Hawkins at a KPA annual meeting.

Former Augusta Daily Gazette publisher Carter J. Zerbe, 72, of Augusta, died Saturday, March 24, 2012. He had been fighting cancer in recent years.

He was born in Burlington, Iowa on Oct. 5, 1939, to Florence Irene (Seeman) and Daniel John "Jack" Zerbe. He graduated Winfield High School in Winfield, Iowa and also from Wichita State University.

On Oct. 19, 1957, he married Lolita  (Buffington) Zerbe at Spring Run Church in Columbus Junction, Iowa. She survives.

For 46 years, he was owner and publisher of the  Augusta Daily Gazette, where he received numerous awards and accolades.

Zerbe was a trustee at Butler County Community College and served as president of the board twice. He was on the advisory board of the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State and was a trustee of the Willam Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas. He also was a member of First United Methodist Churc,h where he served as a trustee.

The funeral service was Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at First United Methodist Church, Augusta.

He is also survived by a daughter, Brenda Rodda, and husband Elliott of Winfield; daughter-in-law, Patti Zerbe, Cincinnati; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Brian, and a brother, Terry.

Memorial donations are suggested to Butler County Community College Scholarship Fund or First United Methodist Church, 2420 N. Ohio, Augusta, KS 67010.