David Christy

Background

About David Christy

I am a third-generation journalist, having followed in the footsteps of my father and grandfather in Oklahoma journalism. My late grandfather, R. Jack Christy Sr, holds an honored place in the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. I was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame on May 9, 2025, as part of the 55th class. I attended the University of Oklahoma School of Journalism 1968-1972, and worked on the sports staff and as sports editor on the college newspaper, the Oklahoma Daily. While at OU I was a member of Sigma Delta Chi/The Society of Professional Journalists, and also worked at OU Sports Information with Bill Hancock and Sid Wilson. After serving as sports editor at the Sherman (Texas) Democrat, I returned to become editor of the family newspaper, the twice Sequoyah Award-winning Oklahoma Hornet in Waukomis for 29 years — where I was grounded in small-town Oklahoma journalism. Upon the death of my dad in 2002, I closed the paper after 102 years of operation in Waukomis — 52 years in the Christy family — and went to work at the Enid News & Eagle, and have been news editor since fall 2008. I have now been a part of seven Oklahoma Press Association Sequoyah Awards as best large daily newspaper in the state as well as awards from the Associated Press at the News & Eagle. I currently write the Friday weekly column, Historically Speaking /tiny url.com/DavidC-column/ This spring marked my 63rd year in the newspaper field, having started at the family weekly as a printer’s devil at age 12 after school and summers. In addition to a now 63-year career in journalism, I am a retired 27-year volunteer firefighter and EMT with Waukomis Fire & Rescue, having served 25 years as a department officer. I was a member on the founding board of directors of Garfield County Public Safety Association, representing all volunteer fire departments in the county, and also served on the board of directors for Tri-County Emergency Services, representing Garfield, Grant and Alfalfa counties. I helped run and handled PR for two successful campaigns to gain overwhelming approval of county voters for the rural fire sales tax that helped equip and modernize the now 12 volunteer fire departments in Garfield County. I was an American Civil War living history re-enactor from 1988 to 2014.