Times' Rosenthal hailed as defender of rights

NEW YORK (AP) — Former New York Times editor A.M. Rosenthal was remembered Sunday as a fierce defender of human rights and passionate journalist who strove to make sure his newspaper stayed free of bias in its reporting.

"He was the greatest newspaper editor of our age," Arthur Gelb, another longtime Times editor and close friend of Rosenthal, told hundreds of mourners at Rosenthal's funeral.

"Abe often said he wanted his epitaph to read, 'He kept the paper straight.' And that you did, my dear friend."

Rosenthal died Wednesday at age 84, a month after suffering a stroke. His career at The Times spanned 56 years, rising from campus stringer to executive editor and including 13 years as a columnist after his mandatory retirement in 1986.