Long-time Cougar Writer, Editor Patrick Caraher to Retire

PULLMAN, Wash. — Journalist and long-time Washington State University writer and editor Patrick Caraher will retire this month following more than 35 years of service to the university.

The senior editor for WSU’s Washington State Magazine, he first came to WSU in 1957, earning a degree in social studies. Following a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, Caraher re-enrolled at WSU to pursue a degree in journalism. As a student, he worked on the staff of the student newspaper, The Daily Evergreen, served as a stringer for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and was as intern under Dick Frye, then WSU’s sports information director. Graduating with a second bachelor’s degree in 1966, he took a job as a reporter with the Eugene Register-Guard, where he worked for three years.

Caraher returned to WSU in 1969 as founding editor of Hilltopics, a 24-page alumni newspaper initially published 10 times a year. Later, he helped found Washington State Magazine and since April 2001 has served as the publication’s senior editor. The award-winning quarterly has a circulation of more than 130,000.

“I enjoy the creativity of writing and editing, starting with nothing every issue. It’s like putting together a puzzle, pulling stories and information from all over,” Caraher said of his work at WSU. “My job has opened the door to interesting stories here and elsewhere. I’ll miss that.”

His career at WSU has spanned the tenure of four university presidents, C. Clement French, Glenn Terrell, Sam Smith and V. Lane Rawlins. Caraher reported on a wide spectrum of events and changes, including the creation of the WSU Foundation in 1979, the implementation of Title IX legislation, the celebration of the university’s centennial, the opening of three urban campuses, and two trips to the Rose Bowl.

His WSU honors include an Alumni Achievement Award and a Red Cougar Award for his service and support of the university’s baseball program.

A Seattle native, Caraher attended high school at Seattle Preparatory School. He is the son of Marcella and the late Joe Caraher, a 1935 graduate of WSU and two-time president of the WSU Alumni Association, who died earlier this year at the age of 92.

He married Pullman native Laurie Busch in 1976. The couple has three daughters, two of whom are WSU graduates. The third will earn a degree at WSU later this year

While continuing in retirement to write and serve as an unofficial WSU historian, Caraher said he also has plans to pursue his favorite springtime activity, which is cheering on the WSU baseball team at Bailey-Brayton Field.