Napa - Ross Game always considered himself to be a “pretty lucky guy” because he was able to achieve a childhood ambition of being a newsman.

From his days in a Chicago elementary school he dreamed of a media career, despite the considerable efforts of his grandfather to persuade him to think about becoming a doctor.

During more than half a century in the field of press, radio and television Game had an opportunity to work with some of the best-known and highly-regarded personalities in the field — including Wes Gallagher, Peter Arnett, Horst Faas, Robert Eunson and Hugh Mulligan of the Associated Press; Edward W. Scripps and Philip E. Swift, Scripps Newspapers; William Randolph Hearst II, Hearst Newspapers; William F. Knowland, former U.S. senator and publisher of the Oakland Tribune; Arthur Deck, award-winning editor of the Salt Lake Tribune; and Frederick Goerner, long-time CBS broadcaster.

While serving as chairman of the California Newspaper Publishers Association Editors’ Conference in 1971 he prevailed upon friends — including Dr. Frank Stanton, chairman of CBS, and U .S. Secretary of Commerce Rogers C.B. Morton — to take a leading role in the sessions at Palo Alto.

Although a registered Republican, he had friends on both sides of the political fence.

 In the 1960’s and 1970’s his telephone-equipped car was frequently loaned to a long-time friend, Ronald Reagan, and Edward Kennedy, later senator and brother of John F. Kennedy, for their campaign efforts in Northern California.

In 1960, Adlai E. Stevenson, another long-time friend and one-time neighbor in Northern Illinois, telephoned Game each day from the Democratic National Convention to provide comments for the Scripps League of Newspapers.

During the administrations of California governors Edmond G. “Pat” Brown and Ronald Reagan, Game was named to several state commissions and boards.

Former San Francisco Mayor George Christopher nominated him to the San Francisco International Airport board at the time the south terminal was under construction.

For over 30 years Game and Goerner investigated the 1937 disappearance of aviatrix Amelia Earhart. The Kennedy White House arranged for the men to view desired classified documents in Washington and they also spent a considerable amount of time in the far reaches of the Pacific.

The results of their work were contained in the best-selling book, “The Search for Amelia Earhart,” published by Doubleday in 1966.

 Game also wrote a series of copyrighted stories for the Associated Press at the same time.

During his life he was active with a variety of projects in both the United States and Australia.

He took special pride in being named an ambassador by the Advance Australia Foundation in the 1980’s.

And, he enjoyed being able to carry out special assignments for the U.S. government.

Game was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served with the United Nations command during the Korean conflict. He covered combat operations as a civilian and was a correspondent in Vietnam.

He joined the historical society E Clampus Vitus in 1967 and was a member of the Yerba Buena Chapter. At various times he was at member of Rotary, Kiwanis and the Jaycees, holding various offices in the organizations.

He was awarded special honors by Rotary and the Jaycees for community service.

Game was a chairman of the Australian-American Association and organized a sister-city agreement linking Napa with Launceston, Tasmania.

After his public-school education in Chicago, Game studied journalism, advertising and public relations at Drake, Northwestern and Utah State universities.

During his long media career he was involved with journalism and advertising positions as well as general newspaper management.

He also tried his hand at radio and television in San Francisco. For three years Game was a part-time instructor of college-level courses in journalism, advertising and public relations.

He was a member of the Chicago Headline club, chairman of the former San Francisco chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, president of the former Napa Valley Press Club, chairman of the Associated Press News Directors Association of California and Nevada and member of the Society of Catholic Newsmen.

Other community services: founding director of the Tasmanian Enterprise workshop in Australia, member of the board of management for Glenara Childrens Homes in Australia 1981-1994, former board member for the Silverado Boy Scout Council in California, former member of the California State Republican Central Committee, member of the American Legion in California and the Returned Services league in Australia.