Pioneering Digital Journalist Felix Grabowski of Troy Dies at 57

Longtime Troy resident Felix Grabowski, a veteran Detroit News journalist and business co-founder, died at home Aug. 31 after an extended illness. He was 57.

Grabowski, a self-taught computer code-writer and early Macintosh adopter, was in the forefront of print journalism's migration to the Internet. "Felix was an early student of the emerging digital age in journalism," recalled Bob Giles, editor and publisher of The Detroit News from 1989-97.

Seventeen years ago – in an era before broadband, wi-fi and smartphones – Grabowski was on a small team that developed his paper's pioneering website, detnews.com. "He was instrumental in writing a lot of the code that got us off the ground" in July 1995, said Nancy Malitz, a retiree who was the paper's founding online department head. "Felix took care of line-by-line HTML coding back when there were no templates. He had essential newsroom know-how and a natural gift for understanding what technology could do."

While a few large papers, including The New York Times and Washington Post, posted online news through Internet service providers such as AOL and Prodigy, The News was among the first handful to create its own site that readers could visit directly from any computer and web browser. It sounds so-what now, but was a big deal then.

'A driving force'

"Felix was a driving force in creating this pioneering online platform," added Giles, who went on to serve as curator of Harvard University's Nieman Fellowship program for journalists until last spring. "His work reminded us that a guy approaching middle age could set the pace for the younger computer whizzes of the day."

Malitz noted that Grabowski created a politics blog and recruited diverse contributors "for a sort of point-counterpoint." The blog, another innovative example of how to use the web for a new types of journalism, continues with at least eight contributors today.

During a 36-year career at The News that began as copy boy, Grabowski rose to creative director of the online department, which had expanded in size and importance since he helped create it. Interim positions included graphics editor, graphics supervisor and assistant photo editor.

He retired from the paper October 2008 to focus full time on a national business he and his wife, Jan, started in 1996. Their enterprise, Online Publications Inc., harnessed his journalism and technology skills with his wife's marketing background as a former Detroit News advertising saleswoman.

Online innovation continues

Applying Grabowski's career-long commitment to reader-service journalism, the Troy-based company provides weekly educational content and web services to The News, the Miami Herald and other newspapers across the country through NIEonline.com. It also hosts and maintains websites for businesses.

"Journalism was his life's passion," Jan Grabowski said. "His co-workers at The Detroit News were his extended family."

One of the closest in his News family was Ray Jeskey. "Felix was a true and loyal friend for more than 30 years," Jeskey said Thursday. "Gifted, dedicated and imaginative, he simply was a great co-worker who always challenged others to perform to his high standards."

Jeskey, a founding member of The News' website launch team with Malitz and Grabowski, added: "There is no one else I'd rather argue with and then agree with than Felix. There is no one else I will miss quite like him."

Grabowski's passion for journalism was carried forward to Online Publications, Jan Grabowski said, because he believed strongly that providing resources to teachers would help convey the importance of news and current events to younger generations.

Other passions – in addition to his wife, three children and their northern Michigan retreat on Crooked Lake, north of Petoskey – included golf, boating, reading, co-hosting Super Bowl viewing parties and collecting original art deco items by an early 20th century French artist and designer who called himself Erté. The journalist's creative side also was channeled during recent years into creating elegant desktop pen sets, which he sold on eBay and the etsy.com site.  

Through the decades in his downtown newsroom, Grabowski recruited and trained colleagues, including technology buffs who gained new skills to qualify as digital journalists. "He was a natural when it came to bringing in young talent," Malitz said in a phone interview from the Chicago area. "Felix was a good mentor. He helped a lot of people along."

His influence extends to 17-year-old daughter Lia, who writes for the monthly Northend student paper at and won awards at 2010 and 2011 summer journalism workshops conducted at Michigan State University by the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association.  

Tributes to creativity, friendship

In messages, social media posts and calls, friends and colleagues Thursday shared admiration for a witty, generous, creative spirit.

"Felix was more than a colleague to many people at The Detroit News. He was also a friend," said Sue Burzynski, former managing editor of The News and now an associate professor teaching journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "He had loads of talent professionally and Detroit News readers benefitted from that in many ways over the years.

"But he also had a great sense of humor and a big heart. You could count on him to cheer you up or make you laugh. His kindness and wit are what I will miss the most."

Detroit News staff writer Santiago Esparza, who was assigned the emotional challenge of compiling an obituary for The News, first shared a personal note. "He was one of the nicest people I ever knew. Also one of the most creative," he posted online.

Michael Happy, former online editor at The News and now digital content manager at Fox Sports Detroit, wrote on detnews.com's Going Home blog: "His cubicle was a can't-miss stop at The Detroit News, where we both worked in the online department for several years. I spent countless hours with my elbows rested on the front edge of Felix's boxed-off work area, listening to him talk enthusiastically about everything from the Red Wings' Cup chances to the merits of grass-roots community journalism."

Grabowski's cubicle, in fact, was a stopping-off point for much of the Detroit News staff.  

Another ex-colleague, features editor Felecia Henderson, whose office was just steps aways from that cubicle, remarked on Facebook: "I can still hear his laughter and see his big smile."

Aaron Hightower, a graphic designer who worked for Grabowski in the graphics department at The News, wrote: "Felix was my first boss. And the best one. I loved him like a dad."

Grabowski, born Nov. 6, 1953, in Detroit, attended Wayne State University, where he studied English literature.

Survivors include his wife, Janet; daughter, Lia; and sons Alex, of Okemos, MI, and Michael, 23, of Royal Oak.

Visitation is scheduled for noon-8 p.m. Wednesday at , 2600 Crooks Rd., Troy. There will be a memorial service at the funeral home at 10 a.m. Thursday. 

Memorial tributes can be made to Karmanos Cancer, Phase 1 Program, 4100 John R, Detroit, MI 48201.

Update: Since this obituary was posted Thursday evening, a flood of tributes and thoughts about Grabowski have poured in.

Note: The writers, Alan Stamm and Nancy Hanus, worked with Felix Grabowski at The Detroit News and Online Publications.