Former Charlotte journalist Rolfe Neill dies at age 90

CHARLOTTE — A longtime Charlotte journalist died on Friday, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Rolfe Neill was the former president and publisher of the Charlotte Observer for more than 40 years. The Observer called him ‘one of modern Charlotte’s most indelible leaders’ during his tenure from 1975 until his retirement in 1997.

“He had one foot in being the publisher of the newspaper and one foot in the community, and he was a force in both. It takes a unique talent to keep those positions separate,” said former Duke Power CEO Bill Grigg, a longtime friend.

Born in 1932 in Mount Airy, Neill was North Carolina born and raised. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he served as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Tar Heel.

He worked at various newspapers in rural North Carolina, Florida, and Pennsylvania before coming back to the Tar Heel State for his final job.

During his time with the Observer, the publication won 3 Pulitzer prizes. He was known for his willingness to publicly criticize his own newspaper in attempts to integrate the Charlotte Observer into the very fabric of the city.

“You can certainly say Rolfe is one of a handful of community leaders who over the past 40 years did more than just about anybody to make Charlotte what it is today,” Grigg said. " You can put him up there with the McColls, the Belks, the Brookshires. ... He was a force for good.”

Neill is remembered by his five children and ex-wife.

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