Charles W. Puffenbarger; June 28, 1997, principal assistant city edito

Charles W. Puffenbarger, 70, a journalism professor at George Washington University, a retired editor at The Washington Post and a past president of the Washington Newspaper Guild, died of cancer June 28 at his home in Washington.

In a career that began nearly 50 years ago, Mr. Puffenbarger, who was known as "Puff" to friends and colleagues, worked for the Virginian Pilot newspaper in Norfolk, the Associated Press in Annapolis and the old Washington Evening Star, where he was principal assistant city editor. From 1965 until he joined The Post in 1969, he taught journalism at the University of Illinois.