Flip De Luca, who opted for early retirement at the end of the 2004-05 academic year, had been teaching at JMU since 1979. Prior to that, he was a newspaper reporter and editor for daily papers in Syracuse, N.Y. and Stroudsburg, Pa. Besides teaching courses in writing and editing, he also served as a news/editorial adviser to The Breeze, JMU's twice-weekly student newspaper.

For more than 15 years, De Luca also served as conference program director for the Associated Collegiate Press, the oldest and largest student press organization in the country. In this role, he planned two conferences a year for college newspaper editors from across the country. These conferences, held in various U.S. cities, attracted more than 1,000 student editors annually.

Additionally, for five years he has taught at the Student Voice Conference held each fall in Croatia. Students attending this conference come primarily from countries in Eastern Europe to learn about the responsibilities that go along with their newly found press freedoms.

Obituary (June 2, 2008)

Albert J. "Flip" De Luca, 57, of Harrisonburg, died Wednesday, May 28, 2008, at his home.

Mr. De Luca was born Nov. 14, 1950, in Olean, N.Y., a son of the late Elizabeth and Albert D. De Luca.

He grew up in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and received a bachelor of arts degree from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1972.

He worked as a newspaper reporter and editor in Syracuse and in Stroudsburg, Pa., for five years before enrolling at Iowa State University, where he earned a master's degree in journalism and mass communication in 1979.

From 1979 to 2005, he taught print journalism at James Madison University and worked with The Breeze, the student newspaper. In 1995 he received the highest newspaper advising award from the College Media Advisers, the nation's largest college publications association.

His survivors include his brother Mark De Luca of New Jersey, niece Cory De Luca Dorman of New York, and niece Brady De Luca of Ohio.

A memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, June 7, at Kyger Funeral Home in Harrisonburg.

Memorial donations may be made to Cat's Cradle, P.O. Box 2152, Harrisonburg, Va. 22801 or to the Journalism Fund in care of the JMU Foundation, James Madison University.