Viewers of Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 in Cleveland knew him, for generations, for “Del’s Folks” – his series of personal stories of many Northeast Ohioans.
Del Donahoo passed away last night at the age of 90.
Like many other even older media personalities, Del had a Facebook account…presumably updated by the same person who posted this on Wednesday:
It’s with great sadness that we report Del Donahoo passed away yesterday evening, February 4, 2014. He was a television icon here in Cleveland and beloved in his hometown of Moravia, Iowa. His “Del’s Folks” feature stories warmed the hearts of thousands of viewers over the years. He will be missed, but never, ever forgotten. Watch WKYC-TV tonight for a look back at Del’s fantastic career. Details on arrangements will follow.
UPDATE 2/5/14 8:30 PM: From WKYC.com – “Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 7 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Bay Presbyterian Church, 25415 Lake Road in Bay Village. The funeral will be held there at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8.”
Del’s TV home was quick to remember Donahoo, a station fixture for nearly four decades.
Del Donahoo was an integral part of the Channel 3 WKYC family from the day he walked through the door here on July 1, 1968.
Del celebrated his 90th birthday on Nov. 15, 2013, and he passed away Wednesday morning.
The story on WKYC.com quotes veteran reporter Tom Beres, who calls Del “a kind, decent man”.
He was a man who reached out directly to a host of Northeast Ohioans, telling the stories of countless “real people” on TV.
From WKYC.com:
Together in Del’s Folkswagon, Del and (wife) Martha attended just about every parade, festival, county fair and community event in Northeast Ohio. He was most famous for his series “Del’s Folks” and his Del’s Folkswagon minibus was with him on most of his travels.
Del’s Folkswagon was given to the Western Reserve Historical Society. After 39 years on the air, Del retired from Channel 3 on Jan. 20, 2007.
But your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) was also one of the then-younger viewers who spent time with Del Donahoo and Tom Haley in the early morning hours, long before morning TV news became a profit center…with just a couple of guys sitting around a TV kitchen-style set, talking.
From the WKYC.com article:
From 1981 to 1998, Del co-anchored the “Today in Cleveland Show” with Tom Haley. His wife, Martha, even became part of the show, with her now famous coffee and Tom’s incessant criticism of it. Haley passed away March 16, 2009.
Yes, certainly more “Folksy”, if you’ll excuse the pun, than today’s TV morning news shows, with multiple anchors and reporters in a time slot that has become as important as (or more important than) the traditional evening news time slots.
But even with that, a “connection” between a TV show or personality, and viewers, is key to long-term success. “Today in Cleveland” would be a throwback of the highest order today, but people liked Del and Tom.
RIP, Mr. Donahoo…
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