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Guy Searls 1923 - 2004

Guy Searls, who died on January 15 at Alexandria Hospital, Virginia, put his hand to just about everything a journalist might be called upon to do in his career.

During his more than 50 years in Hong Kong, he was a correspondent for overseas media, a local journalist, a researcher, a teacher (of journalists), a sub-editor and editor.

He reached the heights of being chairman of the Foreign Correspondents' Club which was much more than a sign of social recognition. It was a tribute to his tenacity and experience as a journalist and administrator.

He helped solve an insolvency problem and made the heartbreaking switch when the club was forced to leave its beloved colonial mansion in Conduit Road to a downtown site. The move to Ice House Street came later.

He juggled his various positions adroitly. In between filing news stories, he became a familiar face in  local films and on television, often acting the 'dirty old gweilo', the antithesis of his everyday existence.

His longest stint as a local journalist was at the South China Morning Post where he was a sub-editor and acted as managing editor.

There, he showed a special talent as a teacher and carer, particularly for trainees and young graduates.

His kindly, avuncular manner helped many a young man or woman gain confidence through a process of gentle shepherding, rather than the hard, shouted abuse that often is flung at a young miscreant in a busy newsroom.

Searls handled the internship programme for local schoolchildren planning a career in journalism during the summer months and was proud that on some days his young team produced more stories than the full-time staff. Many of these interns today occupy leading positions in society as lawyers, authors, business executives as well as media personnel.

He was equally caring for wildlife, at one-time rescuing a honey bear imported from Borneo by a  local restaurateur to make a dish of bear's paws.

He kept it until it outgrew his crowded and semi-industrialised apartment and was moved to a zoo.

He also worked for a time on the Hong Kong Standard, and was a freelance correspondent for many overseas media outlets as well as a consultant on China studies.

He had earlier been a  journalism teacher  at the Chinese University, Baptist University and Shue Yan College.  He also gave courses on contemporary China  at the University of Hong Kong and other  organisations, as well as at vocational training schools.

Searls came to Hong Kong in September 1952 after beginning his career at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 1940 as a copy boy. After serving in various capacities he took a position with CBS radio as a China watcher and correspondent. During the course of his assignment he covered Vietnam, Taiwan, India and many parts of Southeast Asia.

For his work he was awarded a CBS Foundation Fellowship at  Columbia University in New York, one of the highest academic fellowships for electronic journalism.

He was born in Huron, South Dakota, more than 80 years ago, and married Ursula Yeung, a fellow journalist, during his time in Hong Kong.

She became a devoted carer when he fell ill and depended  increasingly on full-time support. Ursula finally decided he should  return to his home country.

They moved to Washington but he died there shortly after being placed in a home.

He will be remembered by many as a courageous friend, a warm and friendly colleague, a  patient and devoted teacher and a loving husband.



Tenacious, kind journalist mastered all sides of his trade