Club members invited to service for Blake Hounshell

National Press Club members are invited to attend a celebration of life service this week for Blake Hounshell, a New York Times political reporter who died on Jan. 10.

The service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at the 6th & I Synagogue in Washington. Times Executive Editor Joe Kahn and other colleagues and friends of Hounshell will speak at the event.

Hounshell, 44, was the editor and lead writer of the Times’ “On Politics” newsletter. He previously was a reporter and editor for Foreign Policy magazine and Politico. Hounshell was considered a pioneer of online journalism and one of its best practitioners.

“We are reeling from the loss of an immense talent, generous colleague and trusted adviser and friend,” Times political editor David M. Halbfinger wrote in a Jan. 11 note to “On Politics” readers. “Since he joined The Times in 2021, Blake dazzled us with his understanding of Washington and politics, his bottomless reservoirs of energy and creativity, and his ability to perform with such consistent excellence despite the newsletter’s five-day-a-week pace.”

A GoFundMe account has been established for Hounshell’s widow, Sandy Choi, and his two young children. It recently surpassed $300,000.