Elaine Fogg Stroup, a former Advertiser reporter who was said to be the first woman to cover waterfront news in the United States, died Aug. 26 in Honolulu after a long illness. She was 90.

She covered the labor beat when legendary labor leaders Jack Hall and Art Rutledge were beginning to organize workers in Honolulu. Stroup was later assigned to the waterfront, the first woman in the nation to cover that beat, according to shipping executives.

Last year she appeared on a History Channel documentary entitled "Sex & World War II" in which she told of covering the trial of a prostitute accused of attempted murder after the war.

Born Elaine Fogg on April 18, 1915 in San Bernardino, Calif., she began her newspaper career while a junior in high school for the San Bernardino Sun-Telegram. She wrote stories for the religion page for $2 a week. She was hired full-time after graduation and became assistant society editor at $25 a week.

Stroup became enchanted with Hawai'i at age 4 from listening to Victrola recordings of "Hilo March" and "Yakee Hula, Hiki Doola Boo."

After a vacation in Hawai'i, she moved here, living over the Waikiki Tavern. Hired by The Advertiser to work in the circulation department, she soon moved upstairs to the newsroom.

She married journalist Harry Stroup on June 25, 1943. After the birth of their daughter, Shelley, Elaine Stroup quit the paper to devote her time to being a mother. Later she started the Hawaii Clipping Service and took in a Czech refugee, Pavel Houda, sending him through the University of Hawai'i. Harry Stroup died in 1974.

Stroup is survived by her daughter, Shelley, and Houda, whom the family considers a hanai son. There will be no burial service at her request. Gifts may be made in her memory to St. Francis Hospice, 24 Puiwa Lane, Honolulu, HI 96817.