Bernie Bottomley, oversaw newsprint at Newsday, dies at 80

Publishing executive Bernie Bottomley, whose career included a dozen years at Newsday, knew all the newsprint that’s fit to print on. Trained as a civil engineer, he transitioned to the newspaper industry in 1987 and shepherded such sea changes as the move to recycled paper.

"His expertise on newsprint matters was of great value to the association's work," said Diane Kennedy, president of the New York News Publishers Association.

And to her own. "When I was named president in 1993, I was 29 years old. I don't know what I would have done without his guidance and advice."

"He was just such a gracious person," echoed his friend Kevin Ankenbauer, of Breckenridge, Colorado, where former Long Islander Bottomley spent most of his later years. "Always willing to help you. Always willing to give you advice."

And confidently so. "He'd tell you, 'I'm not always right, but most of the time I am.’ His passion was his family, no question, but his second passion was sharing his 50, 60 years of [work] experiences" — which Ankenbauer, the former president of a nationwide moving company, often would heed.

Bottomley died April 22 at age 80 at his home in Boulder, Colorado. The cause of death was complications from Parkinson’s disease.

"Our dad was a very committed person in everything he did," said Andrew Bottomley, of upstate Oneonta, one of twin sons. "He really put the whole of himself into it. And so when we were growing up, he was very passionate about his work and would be away for good amounts of time."

But when home, he was equally committed. "We did typical suburban dad-and-sons things, lots of outdoor activities," Andrew Bottomley said.

"My brother and I played soccer as kids, and he was at every one of our games on the sidelines — probably getting in the coach's way," Andrew joked, "because he was trying to cheer us on!" 

English roots

Bernard John Howard Bottomley was born Dec. 30, 1944, in Rye, East Sussex, England, a Channel seaside town, the third of four children and only son of laborer Walter John Bottomley and homemaker Kathleen Fautly Bottomley. In his teens he apprenticed at a London engineering firm and studied civil engineering at the Brixton School of Building, since absorbed by London South Bank University.

In 1967, he interned for six months in New Jersey with the multinational The Austin Co., meeting fellow employee Judith Ann Newton. The two would marry the following June after Bottomley returned to London to complete his bachelor of science degree and then move to the United States. He eventually became a citizen, but as a British national he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving from 1970-1972, primarily with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

In 1973, he and his wife moved to Northport. Eight years later, having started a family, they settled in Huntington.

Bottomley remained with The Austin Co. until January 1987, when he became administrative services director for New York Newsday and then for Newsday through August 1999. "Our understanding was that Austin was involved in building [Newsday’s] Melville printing plant," said his other son, Peter Bottomley, of Superior, Colorado, "and Dad was on that project, and the people at Newsday were impressed with his work on the construction and offered him that position."

Overseeing the technical and business sides of newsprint procurement and operations, he helped represent the paper during Suffolk County’s negotiations toward a 1991 law upping the required percentage of recycled newsprint. In 1993, while continuing in his Newsday role, Bottomley moved to Southern California to serve concurrently as general manager of the Times Mirror Supply Co., part of Newsday’s then-parent, which purchased newsprint.

He eventually left to form two conjoined companies in that field, the Continental Trading Group and Bottomley & Associates, retiring in 2018.

Among his professional accomplishments, Bottomley in 1992 was elected secretary-treasurer of the New York News Publishers Association, serving two terms.

Life in 'their dream house'

In 2002, he and his wife relocated from Southern California to what Andrew Bottomley called "their dream house" in Breckenridge, Colorado. There they continued a decades-long family tradition of skiing with their sons.

Bottomley enjoyed hiking, fishing, gardening and landscaping until the progressive neurological disease Parkinson’s became too severe. He and his wife moved in 2022 to a retirement community in Boulder.

In addition to his wife and sons, he is survived by his sister Madge Atkins, of Bournemouth, England, and a granddaughter. His sisters Heather Bryant and Shirley Mabb predeceased him.

Private services will be held at a later date, the family said. Donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s or other Parkinson’s organizations.