Rowland “Reb” Rebele delivers an In Memoriam at the 2019 California Press Foundation Winter Meeting in San Francisco. Photo: Courtesy of California Press Foundation
The First Amendment lost one of its most passionate champions on November 25, with the death of Rowland Rebele at the age of 93.
The First Amendment Coalition lost a dear friend, family member, and guiding inspiration.
And all of us lost an exceptional human being.
Reb, as he was known to all who had the good fortune to meet him, was FAC’s most stalwart and generous supporter for the 33 years he served on our Board of Directors.
Born in San Francisco in 1930, Reb graduated in 1951 from Stanford, where he was editor of the Stanford Daily. He met his future wife, Patricia, in junior high school and went on to own a series of small newspapers across California and beyond.
Reb was elected to FAC’s board of directors in 1990, when it was called the California First Amendment Coalition. He served as board president from 1999-2000, and remained on the board until his death.
A journalist and newspaper publisher by training and trade, Reb had a particular passion for the public’s right of access to government information. The issue of public access and a free press drove Reb – the ideals behind the First Amendment, not the particular political or social controversy that may have brought those rights into the headlines.
He understood at a granular level the indispensable role that newspapers play in a free society – and the risks to all our freedoms that arise when journalists can’t do their jobs.
All of this is to say that Reb was a true believer – but, perhaps uncommonly for idealists, he was also eminently reasonable. Exacting but empathetic. Passionate but grounded. Opinionated but open to hearing the other side.
I can only speculate that this rare combination of traits helped fuel Reb’s business success. What I know for certain is that these traits made FAC a much better institution – stronger, healthier, and better able to carry out its crucial mission.
FAC is so much better for having known Reb and we look forward to sharing more stories and celebrating his impact in 2024. We are so grateful for the time we had with him. We only wish it lasted longer.