Retired Air Force Colonel Barney Oldfield died last weekend at the age of 93 in Los Angeles.
He was founder of the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation, which reported his passing.
The president of the foundation, Barbara Cochran, call him Oldfield the "guiding spirit" behind the organization's scholarship and fellowship programs. It held a tribute for him just a couple of weeks ago during the RTNDA conference in Las Vegas.
"Among those paying homage to Oldfield was heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, who has called Oldfield 'my best friend,'" the RTNDF said in a statement. "Oldfield helped launch Foreman's career, and as a result of their friendship, Foreman established a journalism scholarship through RTNDF for a deserving University of Texas student."
Oldfield was a World War II correspondent, broadcast journalist, Hollywood publicist and scriptwriter. He and his late wife Vada endowed journalism and other research and educational scholarships. RTNDF now awards 22 scholarships and fellowships.
More info: rtnda.org/news/2003/oldfield.shtml.