C.E. "Pep" Cooney, the namesake of two ASU scholarships, has died at age 70.
Cooney suffered an aortic embolism on Aug. 25. Afterward, he failed to recover from surgery, was disconnected from life support and brought home, where he died at 4 a.m. Wednesday.
He was best known to Valley residents as KPNX-TV president and general manager for more than 18 years.
He also served on several committees and boards, including the endowment board of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Arizona Broadcasters Association, Arizona Country Club and Valley Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Funds gathered at a 1998 retirement dinner held in Cooney's honor started endowments through the ASU Foundation for the C.E. "Pep" Cooney Leadership Scholarship and the C.E. "Pep" Cooney Scholarship given by the Cronkite School.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the two scholarship funds.
The Leadership Scholarship Program was started in 1977, with the first Cooney scholars selected in fall 1998.
Candice Anderson, an office specialist at the Cronkite School, said Cooney made all final decisions about the awards.
Steve Doig, interim director of the Cronkite School, said he regrets that endowment fund troubles have prevented the awards from being announced.
"It is particularly painful that we have not been able to follow through on the Cooney award," Doig said, "especially with his passing today."
A memorial service will be held for Cooney from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Arizona Country Club.
Reach the reporter at michael.miklofsky@asu.edu.
