Obituary

Nita Winchell, a former Daily Pilot employee and Costa Mesa resident,

died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. She was 44.

Ms. Winchell worked in the newspaper’s advertising department from

1984 to 1988. She worked at the Dallas Morning News before moving to

Southern California.

Bob Heber, who worked in the Daily Pilot’s display advertising

department with Ms. Winchell for about three years, said “she was always

surrounded by friends.”

“She always had fun,” Heber said. “She had this zest for living, and

she always wanted her friends to do well.”

Ms. Winchell also liked to travel and cook, he said. She is survived

by her husband, parents, brother and sister.