Raymond Germain

Raymond Germain

Raymond Germain

An early Las Vegas resident and University of Nevada graduate, Germain worked on the news staff of the Tonopah Times-Bonanza when his father-in-law, Frank F. Garside, owned it.

In 1945 he became news editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, also owned by his father-in-law. He later co-founded Bonanza Printer and was vice president of the Las Vegas Sun.

His obituary in the New York Times, Dec. 4, 1976, claims he was a founder of the Las Vegas Sun, but he actually was one of several editorial employees to defect from the Las Vegas Review-Journal when it locked out production crew in 1949. The paper they started was the Las Vegas Free Press, which was later purchased by Hank Greenspun and renamed the Las Vegas Sun. Germain was its first managing editor.

Here’s an excerpt from the Times obit:

Raymond Germain, founder of The Las Vegas Sun and the University of Nevada‐Las Vegas, died at a convalescent hospital yesterday. He was 68 years old

Mr. Germain was born in Waterville, Wash. He graduated from the University or Nevada‐Reno in 1930.

In 1933 he became editor of the Tonopah Times‐Bonanza. Later he was editor of the Las Vegas Review‐Journal. In 1950 he founded the Las Vegas Sun, of which he was vice president until he died.

Mr. Germain helped transform the old Nevada Southern College into the present UNLV. He served on the Board or Regents in 1956‐1964. In 1961 he was appointed assistant regional director of the Post Office Department by President Kennedy.

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