Longtime Tuscaloosa News Columnist Tommy Stevenson Dead at 73
Tommy Stevenson, a longtime editor at and columnist for the Tuscaloosa News, died this weekend at the age of 73.
Ken Roberts, the Editor of the Tuscaloosa News, confirmed reports of Stevenson's death Tuesday morning.
Roberts said Stevenson, born Thomas Franklin Stevenson, Jr., joined the newspaper in 1976 and retired as its associate editor in 2012 but remained on as a recurring columnist until his death this weekend.
"We are all shocked and saddened to hear about Tommy's death," Roberts told the Thread. "He was a walking encyclopedia of historical knowledge and a vital part of the paper's history. We are all going to miss him terribly."
Roberts described Stevenson as a newspaperman straight out of a Hollywood depiction -- a passionate writer with his own sense of style who was bursting with knowledge and charisma.
The Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit investigates all deaths outside of a hospital setting that occur within Tuscaloosa County, and its co-commander Marty Sellers confirmed Stevenson was found dead this weekend.
Sellers said the VCU does not suspect foul play in Stevenson's death, and because it is not considered a criminal matter, he could not release more information about the circumstances of his passing.
The thoughts of the staff of Tuscaloosa Thread and the entire team at Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa are with Stevenson's loved ones and those who knew him at the News.
Editor's note: The author of this report worked as a staff reporter at the Tuscaloosa News from January 2016 until July 2018.
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