Jerrold Werthimer — played key role in S.F. State journalism

Jerrold Werthimer, one of the founders of the journalism department at San Francisco State University, died at home in San Francisco on Sunday. Werthimer, who had retired from active teaching in 1990, was 93.

He was a veteran of Navy service in World War II, a newspaper reporter and editor, and a much-admired journalism teacher at San Francisco State. He was renowned for his easygoing style — his students always called him “Jerry” — and for his concern for liberal causes and for good writing.

“He made us think that journalism could be more than a lot of hard work, and of course he was right,” said Ben FongTorres. who went on to work for Rolling Stone and The Chronicle. “Jerry taught his students well, and I will always be in his debt.”

Besides his role in the classroom, Werthimer was for many years faculty adviser to the Golden Gater, the student newspaper, and was particularly proud that the publication was voted the top college paper in the country by the Society of Professional Journalists in 1983.

“We could never have jelled into a winning editorial team without our Hall of Fame manager, Jerry Werthimer,” said Dan Haerle, who worked on the paper. “He taught us, advised us, laughed with us, and dined with us . ... Jerry is a treasure, and I could never put a value on the things he taught me about journalism, life and myself.”

Jerrold Lee Werthimer was born in Chicago in 1925, served as a communications officer in the Navy, and went to work in Chicago as a reporter and editor in 1946. He graduated from Northwestern University and was a high school teacher in Colorado, but was fired from his job when he refused to sign a McCarthy-era loyalty oath.

He went back to Northwestern and earned a doctorate in journalism. He taught at Washington State University before moving to San Francisco State, where in 1960 he cofounded the journalism department with Leo V. Young. Werthimer was the department’s first full-time professor.

Werthimer lived near the campus and always walked to his classes. In his 30 years of teaching, he took three sabbaticals — one to Finland, one to China and one to roam the United States searching out “mini-muckrakers” as he called them, in community newspapers.

He is survived by Patricia Strauss Werthimer of San Francisco, his wife of 71 years; his children, Dan of Berkeley and Jenny Mena-Werth of Kearney, Neb.; and three grandchildren.

His family said there would be no memorial service. Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cnolte@ sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf