Curtis, Charlotte (1928–1987)

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Curtis, Charlotte (1928–1987)

American journalist and editor. Born Charlotte Murray Curtis, Dec 19, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois; grew up in Columbus, Ohio; died from breast cancer, April 1987 in Ohio; dau. of Lucile (Atcherson) Curtis (diplomat and the 1st female officer in the Foreign Service) and George Morris Curtis (surgeon); Vassar College, BA in American history, 1950; m. 2nd husband William E. Hunt (neurosurgeon).

Noted writer and editor at the New York Times, began career at the Columbus Citizen (1951–61); had a 17-year tenure at the Times (1961–78), rising from society reporter for the women's pages (the doyenne of society writing), to style and family editor (1965), to associate editor (1973), to editor of the op-ed page (1974), the 1st woman to have her name listed on the newspaper's senior masthead; writings include The Rich and Other Atrocities.

See also Marilyn S. Greenwald, A Woman of the Times: Journalism, Feminism, and the Career of Charlotte Curtis (Ohio U. Press, 1999).