ORLANDO — Glenn Rinker, who epitomized the classic TV news anchors of his generation, died on Wednesday of lung cancer at his home. He was 59.
Mr. Rinker, lead anchor at WCPX-Ch. 6 in Orlando for eight years before the station declined to renew his contract in 1991, died peacefully, said his wife, Sunny. Also at Mr. Rinker’s bedside were his two sons and one daughter.
His death made the news on WPLG-Ch. 10 in Miami-Fort Lauderdale, where in the late ’70s and early ’80s, he and Ann Bishop formed a popular anchor team.
“Glenn was a fine journalist, always a gentleman and always a pleasure to work with,” Bishop said in a statement.
Mr. Rinker, who anchored in Washington, D.C., and Miami before joining WCPX in 1983, was remembered by former colleagues and rivals as a consummate professional who took his fishing more seriously than he took himself.
“He not only looked the part of the quintessential anchorman, he was also a news hound,” said Carole Nelson, Mr. Rinker’s co-anchor at WCPX in the mid-80s. “He felt very strongly about what story should lead the newscast and what story shouldn’t be in there.”
Rivals saluted Mr. Rinker as well.
“He brought an air of professionalism to the Orlando market,” said Chris Schmidt, news director at WFTV. “He was a class guy, on and off the air — a professional journalist in every sense of the word.”
In 1982, Mr. Rinker ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Rep. Dante Fascell, D-Miami. The following year he signed on at Channel 6.
In recent years the church had become a major part of Mr. Rinker’s life, and last year he joined the First Baptist Church of Orlando. He was active in the anti-abortion movement, along with his wife.
