Last week CBC cameraman Ross Menzies died.

During his 34 years at the CBC, Menzies became a mentor and friend to many employees. Below is how Kenny Delaney remembers him:

When I began shooting in the mid-eighties I met Ross on assignment, he walked up and introduced himself, he noticed the CBC logo’s slapped all over my camera and asked who I was? I let him know that I had just moved over from editing to ENG camera. He quickly offered himself to me as a mentor I had the honour of gleaning sage advice, tips and tricks to become a better cameraman for CBC and Radio-Canada over the years.

Some of the most admirable qualities in Ross was his ‘can do’ attitude, turning demanding challenges into learning opportunities and looking at CBC Radio-Canada as one big family, there to help and support each other.

Even though retired for three years, Ross’ awesome in demand skill set would often see him come back to help out…

Ross your early departure from behind the camera will impact the hearts of family, friends and colleagues. Although thinking about you will always bring a smile to my face.

source: Mississauga Blogger: Ross Menzies CBC Cameraman R.I.P.

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	Obits	Posted at 3:26 pm (29 Mar 2010)

Image courtesy of Rannie Turingan at Photojunkie

Andy Barrie’s wife, Dr. Mary Barrie, died of cancer yesterday. Andy Barrie, the host of CBC’s Metro Morning in Toronto, had been on leave to attend to his wife’s illness for the last couple months.

In an interview with Post City Magazines in 2007, Barrie explained how he met his wife-to-be in Montreal while he waited for his date to get ready:

Mary was sitting at the table. And we started to chat, and I just never saw the other date,” he says. They married three years later.

Dr. Mary Barrie retired as the director of the School of Continuing Studies at U of T in 2007.

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	Metro Morning, Obits	Posted at 10:39 am (19 Feb 2009)

Long time CBC anchor Russ Germain has died after a battle with lung cancer. He was 62 years old.

The veteran broadcaster anchored “The World at Six” and “World Report”. His distinctive voice was instantly recognizable to millions of Canadians.

Friend and former World Report co-host Judy Maddren said that she and Barbara Smith, who also served as Germain’s co-host on the show, would joke about being the newsman’s “other wives.” Smith said she was impressed by Germain’s constant professionalism. (from a CP article)

• Read the full cbc.ca story here.
• The Canadian Press has a story here.

I’m sure over the years literally hundreds of staffers have worked with Germain in some form or another. If you’d like to share a story about working with Russ Germain, leave a comment below.

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	Obits	Posted at 8:45 pm (03 Feb 2009)

Long-time CBCer John Raw Rae died in Toronto July 22.

Rae began his career with CBC in Vancouver in 1942 and moved two years later to Toronto. Rae spent 37 years with the CBC until he retired nearly 30 years ago.

Since then, John had been enjoying exploring his love for classical music, travel, food. An obit published by the Globe and Mail yesterday described some of his post-CBC activities:

Until the age of 82 he periodically maintained his hand at shaping new broadcasting talent with his ‘On Air’ presentation training in his home. For the last 8 years he has organized a monthly luncheon of an evergrowing group of former CBC employees called the ‘Walking and Chowder Club’.

A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. at the R.S. Kane Funeral Home (6150 Yonge St., at Goulding, south of Steeles) with visitation from 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sue and John Rae Endowment Fund c/o North York General Hospital Foundation.

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	Asides, Obits	Posted at 12:01 pm (30 Jul 2008)

Jack Duffy, celebrated actor and singer, died yesterday at 81 years of age in Toronto of natural causes.

Duffy was best known for his appearance on the 70′s CHCH Hamilton charade show “Party Game”, but he was also a studio singer with the CBC in Toronto in his youth.

He toured with Tommy Dorsey’s band in the late 1940′s and came back to Canada to continue his acting and singing career here.

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	Obits	Posted at 9:27 am (20 May 2008)

Don Wittman, synonymous with CBC Sports for nearly a half-century, died early Saturday after a battle with cancer. He was 71.

Wittman passed away in a Winnipeg hospital surrounded by his family.

Don Wittman joined CBC Sports in 1961 and went on to call some of the most vicious, arresting and triumphant moments in Canadian sports history.

Don Wittman joined CBC Sports in 1961 and went on to call some of the most vicious, arresting and triumphant moments in Canadian sports history.

“On the Saturday mornings of every telecast I worked with Don, I recall him spending a couple of hours talking to players, coaches, writers and broadcasters, gathering as much information as possible, far more than he could ever use on the air,” Scott Oake of CBC Sports said. “But, in Don’s mind, better that than being unprepared.”

His voice appears on perhaps the most replayed sports clip in Canadian history, Ben Johnson’s apparent win in the 100-metre sprint at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, a result overturned days later after Johnson tested positive for a steroid. More recently, he expressed the shock so many viewers felt when favourite Perdita Felicien crashed into the first hurdle at the 2004 Athens Games.

Covering a calamity more sobering than any sporting event could ever be, Wittman was near the scene in Munich in 1972 after gunmen attacked and held hostage members of Israel’s Olympic team, with 11 eventually killed.

During the standoff, Wittman and producer Bob Moir crawled under a fence to get into the Olympic Village and the evacuated Canadian quarters. They were positioned directly across a courtyard from the Israeli dormitory.

More at CBC.ca

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	Obits, Sports	Posted at 10:26 am (22 Jan 2008)

Former CBC Vancouver transmitter technician Sam Greenwood died in his sleep in North Vancouver yesterday morning at age 78.  He was with the Corporation from 1960 to 1974 and then again with the CBC’s helicopter/ground car setup at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. There will be no service at his request. Obituary here.

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	Obits	Posted at 1:21 pm (11 Jan 2008)

Beth worked as a radio reporter with CBC News in Vancouver in the early 90′s. She later worked as a communications officer with the BC government and BC Ferries, and then started up her own communications company. Beth died Dec 9th at the Victoria Hospice and left behind her husband and two young boys, eight and ten.

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	Asides, Obits	Posted at 2:55 pm (19 Dec 2007)

Don Chevrier, a popular sports announcer best known as the original television voice of the Toronto Blue Jays, died on Monday. He was 69.

Chevrier, who was born in Toronto but lived in Palm Harbor, Fla., suffered from a blood disorder and was recently admitted to hospital before being released a few days later.

A legendary figure in Canadian broadcasting circles, Chevrier amazed colleagues and television viewers alike with his unique voice and encyclopaedic knowledge of sports.

“I first met him when I began my career in the early 1970s and the thing that immediately struck me about Chevy was his voice. That voice of his was just incredible,” current CBC Sports broadcaster Steve Armitage told CBCSports.ca.

In a memo to staff issued this afternoon, CBC Sports head Steve Moore said “I worked with Don on the 1991 Canada Cup of Hockey for CTV. He was a consummate pro, and one of the great storytellers in our industry.”

More at cbc.ca
Photo: Steve Nesius/Canadian Press

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	Obits	Posted at 3:40 pm (18 Dec 2007)

Retired CBC producer Kevin O’Connell died in hospital in St. John’s on Tuesday. He was 80 years of age. The Cornerbrook Western Star newspaper calls him “The man that many credit for putting Newfoundland musicians on the map in this province and country.” He was 80 years of age.

O’Connell started his career in radio in Corner Brook before Newfoundland joined confederation, working as an announcer with the Broadcasting Corporation of Newfoundland (BCN). Once CBC came onboard it took over the BCN and its employees.

In his early years with CBC, O’Connell ran a popular radio show called Woodland Echoes dedicated to the men working in the logging camps.

He also worked for CBC television in Corner Brook before transferring to St. John’s in 1963 where he worked as a producer with CBNT.

O’Connell’s 30+ years working with CBC saw him producing, in addition to All Around the Circle, other much loved shows including Up At Ours. He introduced Newfoundlanders to entertainers such as Carol Brothers, Ray Walsh, Don Randell and the Wonderful Grand Band.

If you have any memories of Kevin that you’d like to share, feel free to do so here in the comments.

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	Obits	Posted at 12:01 pm (14 Dec 2007)

On this day on 1997, CBC broadcaster and film critic Clyde Gilmour died at the age of 85.  His Sunday music show on CBC Radio, Gilmour’s Albums, ran for more than 40 years.

Much of the longevity of Gilmour’s Albums, besides its low cost, can be attributed to Gilmour’s quiet demeanour, knowledge of his subject and respect for his audience. “I always think of my audience as just one person,” he told the CBC’s Knowlton Nash. “Radio after all is just one person talking to another. I don’t talk down. I don’t talk up to the listener. I just say ‘hello’ and have a conversation.”

More at the CBC Archives web site.

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	Obits, Today In CBC History	Posted at 9:53 am (08 Nov 2007)

Dan Zeidler passed away suddenly Tuesday. He was only 56.

Zeidler began working at CBC as a teenager in 1968 doing summer relief, becoming staff in National Television News in 1971.

He left Toronto in the mid-1970s to work in Thunder Bay, moved to Edmonton as Senior Editor, and then to Vancouver. He took a leave from the CBC in 1989 to join The Newspaper Guild’s International staff and later moved to CWA/SCA Canada and was based in Winnipeg, where he worked until his death.

He was active in unions and was among the group of 12 CMG members who were locked out in 1972 for supporting a NABET strike. This group became known within Union circles as “the Dirty Dozen.”

Zeidler leaves his wife, Hortense, and his sister. The funeral will take place on Saturday November 3 at 2 pm at the Thomson “in the park” Funeral Home, 1291 McGillivray Blvd, Winnipeg. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to the Winnipeg Humane Society or to a charity of your choice.

You’re welcome to share your messages of condolence and your memories of Dan here in the comments, or email drichmond@cwa-scacanada.ca and the messages will be posted on the CWA/SCA Canada website.

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	Obits	Posted at 6:03 pm (31 Oct 2007)

On this day in 1966, Vancouver-born actor John Drainie died of cancer at age 50.

He began in local & CBC radio drama, including the long-running family drama Jake & the Kid.

On TV, he did live CBC drama before moving to New York where he worked on Studio One & Alcoa Hour.

He was host of CBC’s This Hour has Seven Days for one season, and starred in the US drama series ‘Scarlett Hill.’

Hat tip to the excellent web site Today in Broadcast History.

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	Obits, Today In CBC History, Vancouver	Posted at 10:28 am (30 Oct 2007)

Marika Jorgensen, a fixture at CBC Vancouver, has lost her year-long battle with cancer,  passing away peacefully in Lions Gate Hospital, North Vancouver this past weekend.

Marika was born in Beirut, Lebanon on May 13, 1948.  Her family ancestry was Armenian and Marika was fluent in that language as well as Arabic, French and English.  She immigrated to Canada in 1970, settling in Montreal where she met Fred Jorgensen.  The couple married in 1974 and on March 16, 1976, Marika gave birth to their first child, Julien Garabet.

In 1977 the family moved to British Columbia where Marika instantly fell in love with the sea and mountains.  That same year, she joined CBC Vancouver staff in the Finance Department, reporting to Vern Thomas and as time passed she became the Travel Clerk and then subsequently worked in Accounts Payable and Petty Cash.  On March 13, 1982, her second child,  Ingrid Helene, was born.

Marika transferred to the Communications Department in 1998, and loved her work at the Reception Desk at the main entry of 700 Hamilton Street where she interacted with both CBC staff and the public.  Her bilingual fluency was an invaluable asset to the position.

For ten years, Marika was President of CUPE O&P and took great pride in her involvement with the Union and its members.

Aside from her work and union responsibilities, Marika was passionate about playing classical music on the piano as well as listening to classical music.  In her lunch hour and sometimes at the end of her working day, she would slip into one of the radio studios to practice piano and for anyone who had the pleasure of hearing her, it was always a treat.  Marika had a talent for flower arranging and her home was almost always filled with flowers in various stages of drying for the artistic arrangements and wreaths that she fashioned for herself and for family and friends.  She loved to cook and making hummus was a special passion.

Marika is survived by her ex-husband Fred Jorgensen, her son Julien and daughter Ingrid, her sisters Arpi, Anita and Aida and their families.  She was 59 years of age.

A Memorial Service for Marika will take place on Wednesday, September 26th beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Center for Spiritual Living (CSL), 1495 West 8th Avenue (Masonic Hall building), Vancouver.  The Masonic Hall does not have its own parking lot, but street parking is plentiful and there is a parking garage nearby. 

In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society will be appreciated.

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	Obits	Posted at 4:05 pm (26 Sep 2007)