Chub Bellatti, member of longtime publishing family, dies at 98
BY TIM STANLEY World Staff Writer
Friday, October 05, 2012
10/05/12 at 5:24 AM
STILLWATER - Lawrence Fitzhugh "Chub" Bellatti, a former publisher of the Stillwater NewsPress and member of a longtime Oklahoma newspaper family, died Wednesday. He was 98.
A visitation is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Strode Funeral Home, and a funeral service is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Andrews Episcopal Church.
Born in 1913 in Blackwell, Bellatti was the son of pioneer Oklahoma publisher and broadcaster Charles "C.R." Bellatti.
After he graduated from Blackwell High School, he went to work for his father at the Blackwell Tribune.
Later, after two years of pre-law studies at the University of Oklahoma, Bellatti moved to Stillwater to help his father consolidate and run three newspapers he had purchased recently: the Stillwater Daily News, the Stillwater Press and the Stillwater Weekly Gazette.
With the Navy during World War II, Bellatti served aboard the battleship USS Tennessee. He participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and after witnessing the surrender of the Japanese forces in Tokyo Bay, he was among the first U.S. service members to go ashore.
He returned to Stillwater in 1946 to join his father and brothers, Marsden and Jim Bellatti, in the newspaper business and in a new family venture, broadcasting.
He was the station manager for the family's two radio stations, KSPI-AM and KSPI-FM.
A member of the Oklahoma Press Association for more than 50 years, Bellatti also was active with the Oklahoma Broadcasters Association. In 1948, he was its first president.
He remained active in both organizations until the sale of the NewsPress and the radio stations in 1997.
Bellatti's survivors include two sons, Lawrence Lee Bellatti and Dan Bellatti; one brother, Jim Bellatti; and three granddaughters.
Original Print Headline: Former publisher of Stillwater NewsPress dies at the age of 98
Tim Stanley 918-581-8385
tim.stanley@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Lawrence Fitzhugh "Chub" Bellatti: A Blackwell native, he was a member of a longtime state newspaper publishing family and also was the manager for two Stillwater radio stations. A member of the Oklahoma Press Association for more than 50 years, Bellatti also was active with the Oklahoma Broadcasters Association. In 1948, he was its first president
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