Friends, colleagues pay tribute to journalist Becky Malkovich

By Jim Muir

Longtime and well-respected Southern Illinois journalist Becky Malkovich died Monday afternoon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, five days after suffering a massive heart attack.

Malkovich was 53.

News of the veteran newswoman’s death spread quickly and brought tributes from friends and colleagues from throughout the region. Malkovich had worked as a reporter at the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale since December 2003 and had previously worked for seven years at the Benton Evening News. But Malkovich’s roots in journalism started long before she began her writing career at area newspapers. Her father, the late Dan Malkovich founded and was publisher of “Outdoor Illinois” magazine and her mother Joe Anne (Choisser) Malkovich worked for many years at the Benton Evening News. The Choisser family owned and operated the Benton Evening News for parts of seven decades.

Becky Malkovich

Meta Minton, former managing editor at the Southern Illinoisan who currently lives in Orlando, Fl. remembers well the day she hired Malkovich.

“We were sitting in my office and we got word that Paul Simon had passed away,” said Minton. “It was Dec. 9, 2003 and I hired her on the spot and I knew that I had hired a gem.”

Minton said Malkovich brought a unique combination to her job as a reporter.

“She was an old-school journalist the way she would go after a story but she was on top of her game all the time on every single story she wrote,” said Minton. “Becky had the ability to get little details in a story that would draw readers in … and certainly not everybody can do that. And she also had the ability to make everybody feel important on every story she worked on.”

Minton said she believes her longtime co-worker has taken on a new assignment.

“I believe once a journalist always a journalist and I believe Becky reported today to the “Heaven Herald” – and no doubt she will have things figured out there very quickly,” Minton said. “Southern Illinois lost a great, great writer today and also lost a part of its fabric. She will be missed tremendously.”

Di Winson, former editor of the Benton Evening News, said her association with Malkovich spans more than three decades as co-worker and friend. Winson said Malkovich’s desire to “always get the story right” stands out to her.

“Becky was so committed to her work and she went to great lengths to make sure the story was accurate and fair,” said Winson. “Becky loved her community and it showed in her work. She was such a great writer, but I don’t think she ever realized that. Southern Illinois has lost a great journalist and many, many people including me have lost a dear friend.”

Shannon Woodworth, manager of the Du Quoin State Fair, said he has worked with Malkovich for more than two decades on a variety of projects including stories about the fair, John A. Logan College, Shawnee Community College and Man-Tra-Con. Woodworth called Malkovich’s death “devastating.”

“Personally, I’ve lost one of my best and closest friends,” said Woodworth. “Professionally, Southern Illinos has lost its most prolific writer. She was always on top of the story and just did her job very, very well. There wasn’t a week that went by that I didn’t talk to Becky, sometimes just about life in general. There will be huge void for me to fill there. Her death is a tremendous loss for the entire region.”

Terra Kerkemeyer has worked in advertising at both the Benton Evening News and the Southern Illinoisan and has worked with Malkovich at both venues. However, Kerkemeyer pointed out that her relationship with Malkovich went far beyond co-workers.

“She was my person, my best friend,” said Kerkemeyer. “She was the kindest person I know and I am just devastated by her death.”

Kerkemeyer said she often poked fun at Malkovich about her uncanny ability to get the news – and usually get it first.

“She definitely had a nose for news,” said Kerkemeyer. “I kidded her all the time and asked her if she slept with a police scanner under her pillow. Southern Illinois has lost a great jounalist but we’ve also lost a great person. Becky had the ability to make every person feel like she was their best friend. She never met a stranger and she could carry on a conversation with anybody. There are just no words to describe how much this loss hurts.”

Senior U.S. District Judge J. Phil Gilbert said Malkovich is the most outstanding reporter he has worked with in more than 20 years on the federal bench.

“Becky was always accurate and always went the extra mile to get the story right and I had a tremendous amount of trust in her,” said Judge Gilbert. “She knew the federal court system and knew how the court system work. Becky was just very honest and ethical and I am absolutely heartbroken by the news that she passed away.”