Rick William Nelson
Aug. 12, 1949 – Dec. 16, 2020
Rick William Nelson, 71, the former owner and editor of The Malheur Enterprise, died Dec. 16 of pancreatic cancer.
Nelson was a copy editor at The News Tribune in Tacoma when he bought the Enterprise in 2006, likely saving it from folding. In his nine years of ownership, with a small staff, he transformed the paper’s layout and brought it into modern graphics design.
Erik Lacitis, a Seattle Times reporter, helped Nelson in those initial issues.
“He had to learn, and learn quickly, all the little details. Those were 18-hour days,” he said.
Nelson had two brothers who lived in the area and greatly appreciated its people and outdoors.
Nelson traveled back and forth between his . . .
