by Murrel Bland
I first met Bob Sigman in 1964 when I went to work for The Kansas City Star. I was one of a group of journalism rookies who was fresh out of college. Bob became the newspaper’s Jefferson City correspondent in 1965. He was an excellent writer, highly respected among his peers and a professional that youngsters like me tried to emulate.
I was saddened to read that Bob died Aug. 11 after being diagnosed with cancer. He was 88. I had last seen Bob last spring at the annual meeting of the William Allen White Board of Trustees at the University of Kansas, Lawrence.
Bob became a member of The Star’s editorial board in 1971; Bob wrote many of the editorials concerning Wyandotte County. He also was a staunch advocate for open government and the First Amendment. I recall working with Bob on such issues when I was active with the Kansas Press Association. I also recall attending a workshop for editorial writers in Wichita with Bob.
Bob was recognized for his editorials with the Silver Gavel award from the American Bar Association and the Emery A. Brownell award from the National Legal Aid and Defender Association.
After retiring from The Star in 2001, he became opinion page editor for The Johnson County Sun. He won several awards from the Kansas Press Association for excellent editorials he wrote for The Star and The Sun.
Sigman was a past president of the Kansas City Press Club and was a board member at the time of his death.
Bob was born in rural Johnson County on Nov. 28, 1927. His parents were Ernest and Edith Sigman. Bob served in the U.S. Army in Korea. He graduated from KU in 1951 with a degree in journalism. He worked for a short time as a reporter for The Kansas City Kansan.
Bob married Frances Marie Watts on June 28, 1953. The couple lived in Leawood. She died in 1997.The couple had two daughters—Anne O’Brien of Silverdale, Wash., and Amy Sigman of Olympia, Wash.
A service for Robert Parker Sigman will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Unity Church, 10300 Antioch Road, Overland Park. His family has suggested that memorial contributions be made to Kansas City Public Television or the Robert P. Sigman Family Scholarship at KU.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press.