Gerry Gawne Passes

Gord Landsdell notes: This was posted by Jack Bennest on his FB page (September 6 post):

Another great– Gawne is in the history books.
Gerry passed away peacefully (but with pranks!) last night, surrounded by myself, Arlene, Dianne and his son Graham. His 14-year Alzheimer’s journey finally at its close. One can only imagine the beautiful new chapter he has begun, reunited with so many great Gawnes. Gerry (Ger-the-Bear) surely began the day by having ethereal coffee and cloud-shaped donuts with his lifelong best friend, Bruce Stevenson. Gerry was a one-off … no off-the-shelf mold was used when this spirited and creative genius was made. More to come on celebration of life. Please share your stories, memories and photos! In turn, he’s sending us all his magnanimous energy and love.

*** Gerry Gawne established his legend at CKNW in October 1962 when Typhoon Freda hit us. He was the evening operator at CKNW. Regular all night host Gerry Davies had a tree fall across his driveway so couldn’t get in to work, thus Gerry Gawne kept CKNW going all night.
One-by-one, all Vancouver stations except CKNW went off the air as Freda cut power everywhere. NW stayed on because of their backup transmitter and a standby generator. At one point, NW was reported to be the only station still on the air on the west coast of North America, and Gerry’s reports were being heard by millions.

****Gerry Gawne (“Ger-the-Bear”) was a well-known radio personality, manager, and creative writer whose career spanned the Pacific Northwest from the Okanagan to Vancouver and Seattle. Born in Penticton into the prominent Gawne family, he got his start in broadcasting in the Okanagan. He gained early fame on CKOK Penticton as “Ger the Bear” and also worked at CKOV Kelowna.
Vancouver Era: He moved on to major Vancouver stations, working as a night announcer and DJ at CKNW-AM (notably anchoring the airwaves during Typhoon Freda in 1962) and later at CJOR.
In 1964, he moved to Seattle to join KING Radio, where he spent over a decade. He rose through the ranks to become the Program Director and eventual Station Manager of KING.

Gerry Gawne Exits KING, KQIN Goes Country, Gary Taylor & China Smith Sacked

Graduate UBC Vancouver 1962; CKOV Kelowna; morning host CKOK Penticton; news and swing shifts CKNW New Westminster 1960-62 & hosted all-night show on stand-by facilities during Typhoon Frieda October 1962 when virtually all west coast stations were knocked off by power outages; Program Director CJOR Vancouver 1962-64; Program Director then Station Manager KING Radio Seattle 1964-75; President Communiqué Inc. 1983-2008; CEO Aventura Resorts current. Vancouver Broadcasters