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{{Infobox person

{{Infobox person

| name=Allan Matthew Lazarus​

| name=Allan Matthew Lazarus​

(Journalist with ''The Shreveport Times," 1944 to 1991).

(Journalist with ''The Shreveport Times,'' 1944 to 1991).

|birth_place=[[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], USA​

|birth_place=[[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], USA​

Resident of [[Shreveport]], Louisiana​

Resident of [[Shreveport]], Louisiana​

'''Allan Matthew Lazarus''', known as '''Laz Lazarus''' (November 21, 1927 – May 18, 2020),was for twenty-one years the managing editor of ''The Shreveport Times'' in [[Shreveport]], [[Louisiana]].

'''Allan Matthew Lazarus''', known as '''Laz Lazarus''' (November 21, 1927 – May 18, 2020),was for twenty-one years the managing editor of ''The Shreveport Times'' in [[Shreveport]], [[Louisiana]].

Born in [[New Orleans]] to Harry Adolph Lazarus, Sr. (1896-1972), and the former Edna M. Wodiker (1899-1988),<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/210226543/allan-matthew-lazarus|title=Allan Matthew "Laz" Lazarus|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref> Lazarus moved with his parents and brother, Harry Lazarus, Jr. (1920-2016), to Shreveport when he was seven years old. He graduated in 1944 from the former Fair Park High School and in 1951 from the private Centenary College of Louisiana, both institutions located in Shreveport.  From 1946 to 1947, he served in the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, forerunner of the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=allan-matthew-lazarus&pid=196214873|title=Allan  Lazarus Obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=May 19, 2020|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref>

Born in [[New Orleans]] to Harry Adolph Lazarus, Sr. (1896-1972), and the former Edna M. Wodiker (1899-1988),<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/210226543/allan-matthew-lazarus|title=Allan Matthew "Laz" Lazarus|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref> Lazarus moved with his parents and brother, Harry Lazarus, Jr. (1920-2016), to Shreveport when he was seven years old. He graduated in 1944 from the former Fair Park High School and in 1951 from the private Centenary College of Louisiana, both institutions located in Shreveport.  From 1946 to 1947, he served in the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, forerunner of the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=allan-matthew-lazarus&pid=196214873|title=Allan  Lazarus Obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=May 19, 2020|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref>

Lazarus joined ''The Shreveport Times'' in 1944 as 17-year-old copy boy and retired in 1990 at the age of sixty-four as the managing editor. Before the editorship, he had worked as a reporter, copy editor, sportswriter, telegraph editor, and news editor. He was a former president of the Louisiana-[[Mississippi]] Associated Press Association and a board member of the AP Managing Editors Association. He was a charter member and president of the [[Arkansas|Ark]][[Louisiana|La]][[Texas|Tex]] chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, later named the Society of Professional Journalists. In 1967, he began writing "A Nit-Picker's Notebook," a critique indicating spelling, grammar, and style errors for the staff. In I982, "A Nit-Picker's Notebook'' became a regular column in ''The Times'' and ran until 2014, long after Lazarus had retired.<ref name=obit/>

Lazarus joined ''The Shreveport Times'' in 1944 as 17-year-old copy boy and retired in 1990 at the age of sixty-four as the managing editor. Before the editorship, he had worked as a reporter, copy editor, sportswriter, telegraph editor, and news editor. He was a former president of the Louisiana-[[Mississippi]] Associated Press Association and a board member of the AP Managing Editors Association. He was a charter member and president of the [[Arkansas|Ark]][[Louisiana|La]][[Texas|Tex]] chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, later named the Society of Professional Journalists. In 1967, he began writing "A Nit-Picker's Notebook," a critique indicating spelling, grammar, and style errors for the staff. In I982, "A Nit-Picker's Notebook'' became a regular column in ''The Times'' and ran until 2014, long after Lazarus had retired.<ref name=obit/>

Lazarus recalled [[V-J Day]] in 1945, when ''The Times'' published an extra edition. As a copy boy a the time, Lazarus  passed by [[Monroe Dodd|Dodd College]] (now the First [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church School) and saw a newsboy selling the extra papers. Lazarus bought all the papers available and distributed then at Dodd College.<ref name=wordsmith/> As the news editor in July 1969, he came into the office from his vacation to write the head line of [[Neil Armstrong]]'s walk on the surface of the [[moon]]. He noted that Armstrong mistakenly left out the article "a" when he said "one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind."<ref name=wordsmith/>

Lazarus recalled [[V-J Day]] in 1945, when ''The Times'' published an extra edition. As a copy boy a the time, Lazarus  passed by [[Monroe Dodd|Dodd College]] (now the First [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church School) and saw a newsboy selling the extra papers. Lazarus bought all the papers available and distributed then at Dodd College.<ref name=wordsmith/> As the news editor in July 1969, he came into the office from his vacation to write the head line of [[Neil Armstrong]]'s walk on the surface of the [[moon]]. He noted that Armstrong mistakenly left out the article "a" when he said "one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind."<ref name=wordsmith/>

In his later years, Lazarus wrote poetry which he sent to former staffers.<ref name=wordsmith/> In 2017, Lazarus was predeceased by his wife of seventy-one years, the former Martha Elizabeth Ellis (1928-2017). The couple had two children, Kenneth Wayne Lazarus and Virginia Lynn Lazarus. His funeral mass was held at the [[Roman Catholic]]  St. Johns Berchmans Cathedral, with Father Duane Trombetta officiating.<ref name=obit/> He is interred at Forest Park Cemetery in Shreveport.<ref name=findagrave/>

In his later years, Lazarus wrote poetry which he sent to former staffers.<ref name=wordsmith/> In 2017, Lazarus was predeceased by his wife of seventy-one years, the former Martha Elizabeth Ellis (1928-2017). The couple had two children, Kenneth Wayne Lazarus and Virginia Lynn Lazarus. Lazarus died at the age of ninety-two. His funeral mass was held at the [[Roman Catholic]]  St. Johns Berchmans Cathedral, with Father Duane Trombetta officiating.<ref name=obit/> He is interred at Forest Park Cemetery in Shreveport.<ref name=findagrave/>

==References==

==References==