Terry Woster
MITCHELL, S.D. – Terry Woster, a current columnist for the FCC’s Daily Republic in Mitchell, and a reporter who covered most of the state’s biggest stories during his four decades as a journalist, will receive the South Dakota Newspaper Association’s Distinguished Service Award during the group’s upcoming convention.
Woster will be honored April 27 at Cedar Shore Resort, Oacoma, during SDNA’s 130th annual convention.
Woster grew up on a farm in Lyman County, graduated from South Dakota State University in 1966 with a journalism degree and began his professional career at the Chamberlain (S.D.) Register. From there he worked for the Volga (S.D.) Tribune and the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls before going to work in 1969 as a correspondent and state government reporter in Pierre for The Associated Press. He covered the devastating 1972 flood in Rapid City and the uprising at Wounded Knee during that time.
In 1978, Woster became managing editor of the Pierre and Fort Pierre Times. He worked as managing editor of the Pierre Capital Journal from 1981 until 1987 when he returned to the Argus Leader as its state government reporter in Pierre and columnist. Woster’s reporting and insights into state government, particularly the legislature, made his work a must-read for anyone interested state politics and public policy.
Following retirement at the Argus Leader in 2008, Woster has been a columnist for The Daily Republic at Mitchell and the Tri-State Neighbor. Since 2009, he has worked as a public information officer for the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
“It is our honor and privilege to recognize Terry Woster for his contributions to South Dakota journalism during the past 40-plus years,” said SDNA President Lucy Halverson, publisher of the Lyman County Herald, Presho. “Terry is an excellent reporter and has demonstrated over and over his ability to deliver clear and concise reporting from some of South Dakotan’s biggest stories and events. He is also a great storyteller, having shared many personal stories from life through his weekly column.”
Woster has been married to Nancy (Gust) of Chamberlain for 45 years. They have three adult children and five granddaughters.
The SDNA Distinguished Service Award is given to someone who has demonstrated outstanding service to the newspaper profession in South Dakota.
