OTTUMWA — Mike “Augie” Augspurger has given southeast Iowa reporters one more story assignment.

But, it’s one none of them want. It’s the news of his passing. Augspurger, 52, was found dead Tuesday morning in his cabin near Ottumwa. He was the business editor at The Hawk Eye in Burlington.

The Hawk Eye staff said Augspurger had last worked Saturday. He was due back at work Tuesday, but did not arrive.

The Hawk Eye wasn’t the only newspaper that hired Augspurger. He also worked for the Courier and for newspapers in Bloomfield, Albia, Centerville and Chariton.

Readers throughout southeast Iowa enjoyed Augspurger’s writing. His co-workers throughout the years appreciated him, too.

Courier Editor Judy Krieger worked with Augspurger. She was a reporter at the time.

“Mike was the best city editor I ever worked with,” she said. “You never told him you needed a story because he always had 150 ideas.”

Editor Dale Allison of The Hawk Eye said he’d known Augspurger “for 20 years, back when he was working for the Courier.

“We were happy to have him join our staff. He was a great friend,” Allison said. “He was passionate about the business and we’ll miss him. He was just a darned good guy.”

Augspurger also worked for the Bloomfield Newspapers. Editor/Publisher Gary Spurgeon said Augie was a “fun-loving individual” but was “pretty serious and talented about and in his profession.

“Augie seemed to be interested in putting out the best possible newspapers,” Spurgeon said. “He worked hard to cover the news and took excellent photos. He would help people, was interested in people and nothing would stop him from helping them.”

Augspurger also worked for the Chariton Newspapers. The Albia Newspapers are part of that group.

Editor Dave Paxton of the Albia Newspapers said Augspurger “was an original, a newspaper legend.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone like him,” Paxton said. “The guy could always get just the right feature, the right angle.”

Augspurger could walk into a church or a bar and come up with just a “really cool angle,” according to Paxton.