Laurie Van Dyke blazed a trail for women in Milwaukee journalism
Neither the intransigence of men nor a barbed wire fence could stop Laurie Van Dyke from going after a story.
In a time when women were often denied news reporting jobs or were confined to society beats, Laurie Van Dyke became a respected Milwaukee newsroom leader. Laurie led the way, her former Milwaukee Sentinel colleague Marta Bender said in an email message. In the past, women were a newsroom minority and an editing and management rarity. When Laurie filled those jobs, she set an example for the rest of us. Her work ethic, determination and dedication to the paper became the gold standard.