Cronkite's cause of
death was complications of dementia, said Chip Cronkite, his son.
Cronkite was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri. He lived there until moving to Houston, Texas at the age of ten.
In 1935 Cronkite dropped out of college to start his lifelong career of journalism. He begin in the newspaper business covering news and sporting stories. In 1936 he went to Oklahoma City to be an announcer for WKY. That same year he met his wife Mary Elizabeth Maxwell while in Kansas City, Missouri.
In 1937 he joined the United Press. During World War II his career took off covering the wars in North Africa and Europe. He was one of only eight journalists selected by the U.S. Army to fly with bombing raids over Germany.
In 1950 Cronkite landed a job at CBS News headed by Edward R. Murrow. In 1962 he became the nightly anchor of the CBS Evening News.
The New York Times reports:
“It is impossible to imagine CBS News, journalism or indeed America without Walter Cronkite,” Sean McManus, the president of CBS News, said in a statement. “More than just the best and most trusted anchor in history, he guided America through our crises, tragedies and also our victories and greatest moments.”
Cronkite was forced to retire in 1981 when Dan Rather replaced him at the anchor desk. Cronkite kept an office at CBS and continued on as a special correspondent.
