Michael J. Parman, former publisher of The Press Democrat of Santa Rosa, died Saturday (July 1) was 61 following a 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer, according to the newspaper. Parman waged a very public fight with the disease, writing a journal that was shared with others on the Internet. Mike Parman worked at the Sacramento Bee for more than a decade as sports editor, weekend editor and assistant managing editor, before embarking on a 20-year career with The Press Democrat. He became the newspaper’s executive editor in 1985, shortly after it was acquired by The New York Times Co., and was named publisher in 1991. Parman retired in December because of his failing health.