Columbia Daily Tribune columnist Irene Haskins has died at the age of 84.
The newspaper announced Friday that Haskins died at the Boone Hospital Center Thursday evening from a cerebral hemorrhage caused by a fall at her home.
Haskins began writing her Smile Awhile column in October 1977, while she was working at Boone County National Bank. She joined the Tribune the following year.
Her column, as well as reports on events and people in the Snapshots section, won Haskins numerous awards. She was named best humor columnist in this year's Missouri Press Association awards, which were announced Saturday.
Haskins survived a battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2004, returning to the newsroom after a four-month absence.
