Suzanne McCarroll, a former longtime CBS4 news reporter, has died in California.
McCarroll, who started at CBS4 Denver in 1982 and worked at the station until 2016, was inducted into The Heartland Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 2008. A gifted storyteller, McCarroll had a penchant for human interest stories. She was a seasoned hard news reporter, who excelled at daily news reporting, political coverage and government. Her work at the station included “Money Saver” segments, recurring stories aimed at aiding consumers. She also had a series named, “Pay it Forward.”
Jim Benemann, a longtime TV journalist and anchor at CBS4 Denver, paid tribute to McCarroll in a Wednesday afternoon tweet.
“No one I’ve known in this business has ever done the work with more smarts, grace and good cheer. We all knew how blessed we were to have her in our lives,” Benemann said.
As part of her Heartland Chapter induction, colleagues praised McCarroll’s work with quotes including: “She has the unique ability to combine assertive, get-the-story focus with sincere respect and compassion for vulnerable individuals who are caught up in a tragedy.” “… Believes that journalism is a higher calling and a public service.” “…Always puts the story first.” “… Any newscast is better if Suzanne is in it.” “… Her talent for listening gets the important interviews.”
McCarroll graduated from Stanford University in 1978 with a B.A. degree in communications and went to work at IBM as a speech writer. In 1979, she entered television news at KIDK in Idaho Falls and moved on to KCGR in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1980. She was hired by KCNC Denver in 1982 as an “entry-level reporter.” Over the years McCarroll was a guest lecturer at DePauw University and the Poynter Institute. She was an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado teaching writing for television news.
“Suzanne was among the first to welcome me to the CBS4 family,” said reporter and anchor Kelly Werthmann on Twitter. “She was truly one of the kindest people ever, and I miss her joyful presence in our newsroom. Suzanne always made the most of each day, even the tough ones. My heart hurts for her family.”
McCarroll battled cancer during her journalism career, she had been in remission from non-Hodgkin lymphoma for almost eight years when the cancer returned in May 2015, according to the Washington Post.
Reporter Rick Sallinger sat next to McCarroll in the newsroom for 20 years. “She was a role model for positivity, especially in the face of adversity,” he said. “We have lost a wonderful human being.”
She was a mother of three.
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