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Screenwriter, Sports Columnist and Former Editor of TVWeek’s NewsPro Dies

May 22, 2014  •  Post A Comment

Updated at 11:24 a.m. PT on May 23, 2014 to give correct date of memorial service in last sentence of article.

 

By TVWeek Staff

It is with much sadness that we report this morning that someone who has been a valued member of our TVWeek family for almost seven years has passed away.

Jarre Beth Fees died May 11 from a brain tumor. She was 63.

From 1988 to 1993, Jarre was a screenwriter working with Paramount and a number of Hollywood studios. Her one on-screen credit was for co-writing the screenplay for "Permanent Record," a 1988 movie starring Keanu Reeves.

Jarre wrote on her LinkedIn page, "'Permanent Record' (shared credit; Paramount, 1988) won a family film award. Which is good, because it made hardly any money. Several other screenplays almost got made and didn't: The financing fell through; a production chief got fired; a star hated the director's rewrite. These things happen. I made a living; the lunches were great. And then, by mutual agreement with the film industry, seemed like it was time to move on."

The next major stop for Jarre was the Los Angeles Daily News, where she worked for four years, starting in 1997. At the Daily News she was a columnist covering the NHL, a local sportswriter and a copy editor for sports and features.

Of that experience Jarre wrote on LinkedIn, "First feature story, spotlighting a local athlete competing on the U.S. Women's Hockey Team, was a finalist for the annual Miller Lite Women In Sports award."

Jarre joined us here at TVWeek as a copy editor in 2007. Later she became a contributing writer to our TVWeek NewsPro, and became the editor of a number of those issues. The last NewsPro she was in charge of was last year's Health Journalism issue. She left NewsPro in July 2013.

"Jarre was smart and a terrific person to discuss new ideas with," said TVWeek Managing Director Chuck Ross. "She was well-liked by everyone, especially the freelance writers she worked with on NewsPro. It's unbelievable that she's passed so young. So sad. We'll all miss her."

A memorial service will be held for Jarre at Valley Vineyard Christian Fellowship, 6642 Reseda Blvd., in Reseda, Calif., on Saturday, May 31, at 11 a.m.

jarre fees 2.jpgJarre Fees

3 Comments

  1. I was Jarre’s roommate when I lived in L.A., and one of her best friends. It’s hard to measure how much impact this woman had on the lives of those she met. She was blunt and matter-of-fact, but also extremely generous and kind. She loved eating food from all kinds of different cuisines, and we used to wander L.A. looking for out-of-the-way holes-in-the-wall to sample some new and fascinating treat. She had a deep love, knowledge and respect both of hockey and of movies. Back when Netflix was still a DVD service, we used to spend night after night watching obscure classics (like Hobson’s Choice) and the latest award-winners. Part of the fun was listening to her opinions, getting into deep conversations with her about the arc of a story or problems with a character. Finally, she absolutely loved her dogs, which were basically like a second family to her. When I say she loved her dogs, I mean she actually would budget meat, eggs, vegetables and grains as part of her grocery list so she could prepare them homemade meals every day. She also gave of her time at local nursing homes, visiting with people there and becoming part of their lives. She was like no woman I ever met, and it is still hard to come to grips with the fact that someone so unique and singular is gone. She will always be missed, and always be loved.

  2. I WAS IN LAMESA HIGH SCHOOL WITH BETH FEES. DO YOU KNOW HER BIRTHDAY. WE ARE HAVING A SCHOOL REUNION ON JULY 4th. Thanks!!!

  3. I lost contact with Beth after retiring from my job at the end of 2014. We had been exchanging emails for a year or so, after I was finally able to locate her on Linked in. She was one of my college roommates at Texas Tech in 1969 and we also found a place together in the summer or 1971. I loved her so much. She was unlike any other. She taught me a lot about fun, love, and life. I have been looking for her for years, and it breaks my heart that she is no longer with us. I hope God lets her know that I have praying for her ever since we lost touch.

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