Tempe resident and newspaper publisher Don Kirkland, 89, who realized in elementary school that his future would revolve around the written word, died Sept. 2 in an assisted living facility in Chandler.

He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and is survived by one son, Corry Slama.

Kirkland most recently worked as the publisher of the Wrangler News Independent, penning opinion columns under the header “From the Desk of Don Kirkland” and news features on Tempe and Chandler. A versatile journalist, he recently wrote and snapped photos to cover an event in the far East Valley when community members met to remember an Apache Junction police officer killed in the line of duty.

"We are thankful for the short time we knew Don. He was full of life and love for the community," said Independent Newsmedia CEO Charlene Bisson.

Kirkland began a lifelong journalism career at the age of 10 when he published a small neighborhood newspaper in his hometown of Glendale, California. He wrote in a May 29, 2019, commentary in the Tempe & West Chandler Wrangler News that in sixth grade he copied inked pages onto a gelatin slab in a pie tin and delivered purplish duplicates to his neighborhood.

He was involved in news production during his years at Glendale High School, was editor of the school newspaper and wrote a weekly column for the Glendale News Press.

While in college, Kirkland was recruited by Lyn Nofziger, editor of the Burbank (California) Daily Review and eventually one of the nation’s most highly regarded journalists, ultimately serving as press secretary to Gov. Ronald Reagan and later, in Washington, D.C., as the top spokesperson for the Republican National Committee.

Following his stint as a reporter in Burbank, Kirkland joined the staff of the Long Beach (California) Press-Telegram, where he remained for almost 10 years. He transitioned to a position in media relations, working with such recognized clients as Dennis DeConcini during DeConcini’s two successful campaigns for the U.S. Senate, and a series of other high-profile Phoenix-area clients.

Kirkland made another transition in his media relations career when he was recruited as executive editor of the Mesa Tribune during the period that it was acquired by the national Cox Communications chain. He left Cox in 1980 to work as public relations director for Desert Samaritan Hospital and Medical Center (now Banner) and, finally, as director of corporate communications for Samaritan Health Service. He launched the now 34-year-old Wrangler News and eight other similar community-focused publications in 1991.

The Arizona group of Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA, home of the Phoenix Independent at YourValley.net, acquired the Wrangler News and WranglerNews.com from Kirkland in 2024.

Kirkland loved community journalism and he deeply cared about Tempe, Kris Baxter-Ging, Tempe communication and marketing director, said.

“He was passionate about finding ways to spotlight the positive and telling stories about people in our community. Once you read one of his features, it felt like you knew the people he wrote about, even if you’d never met them,” she said. “Every issue of Wrangler News was his favorite and he would often call to ask if he could hand deliver copies, just so he could say hello and show you his favorite bits from the issue. I will miss Don, as will the Communication Office and the entire city of Tempe.”