Arthur (Art) Jaeger, 71, of Linden and Alexandria, Virginia, died at the family residence in the Blue Ridge Mountains on Sunday, August 27 of Glioblastoma (brain cancer). Art was born to Erwin and Ethyl Schroder Jaeger on May 3, 1946, in Patterson, New Jersey, and grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Having an early interest in media and politics, he graduated from George Washington University, Washington, D.C., in 1968, with a B.A. in Journalism and Political Science.
During Army service in Vietnam (1969-1970), Art was a writer, editor, and photographer in the public information office of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade, awarded a Bronze Star Medal and other citations. In a letter to the Editor of the New York Times published in January of this year, Art responded to another writer’s view that the war in Vietnam had been pivotal in breaking down racial barriers. Writing with typical candor and clarity, he observed: “During my 14 months in the war, I noticed a disturbing trend toward re-segregation, with black and white soldiers choosing to associate only with others of their own race whenever possible….I often wondered why the leadership of my unit tolerated this.”
After his discharge from the Army, Art had a career spanning more than four decades as a journalist and public relations professional in the Washington, D.C. area. In the 1970’s, he was a reporter and editor for two small newspapers, and for most of the 1980’s he was a Capitol Hill press secretary, working in the House of Representatives for Rep. Gladys Noon Spellman (D-MD) and in the Senate for Sen. Edward Zorinsky (D-NE). For more than a dozen years after that, he worked in communications posts for progressive advocacy groups, including the influential Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. During this time, he testified before Congress on three occasions. For five years in the early 2000’s, he was communications director for the National Cooperative Business Association and from 2007 to 2013, he was senior director at a small Washington public relations firm specializing in food and agriculture issues. After retirement, he was a writing consultant for the National Milk Producers Federation, the lobbying organization for American dairy farmers.
Art played the guitar since he was in junior high school, and family and friends remember many hours listening and singing along to Art’s accomplished guitar playing. Art is also remembered for his keen insights, journalist’s skepticism, dry humor, and unflagging devotion to his family and friends.
Art is survived by his beloved wife of 27 years, Aletha Kelly Collinson Jaeger, a brother, Erwin (Fred) Jaeger, and his wife Mary Steiner of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Through his marriage to Aletha, he is survived by two stepchildren; daughter, Carrie L. McAleese, and her husband Thomas, and stepson, Kevin M. Collinson; two granddaughters, Jessica Spring Rubio and husband Daniel, Morgan Spring Hancock and husband Danny; and three great-grandsons, Derrick, Nathan and Michael Hancock; and son in law Peter Spring.
A Memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to a charity of your choice.