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March 11, 2024 6:56 am  #1


Remembering A Hamilton Radio Veteran Who Passed Away In January

He worked in the business for years in the Steel City, but most of his time was spent in the CHML newsroom. I'm not sure how well the name Warren Beck is known in Toronto, but for a time, he was a legendary Hamilton newscaster. 

That lifelong journey included stops at many radio stations in the area. 

"The Stoney Creek resident started at radio station CHML as an operator in 1954 and, until just a few years ago, was working as the news director of The Jewel 92 and CKPC in Brantford. Along the way, he served as CHML news director in the 1970s and later was a journalism instructor at Mohawk College."

He signed off from a very long life on January 7 at age 90. 

For veteran broadcaster Warren Beck, 'radio was in his blood'

 

March 11, 2024 7:57 am  #2


Re: Remembering A Hamilton Radio Veteran Who Passed Away In January

A great guy. A competitor who became a friend. Passionate about radio. Worked well into his 80's. Truly among the last of a breed of broadcasters.

 

March 11, 2024 10:38 am  #3


Re: Remembering A Hamilton Radio Veteran Who Passed Away In January

Warren was a great broadcaster  and an even better friend.  I was ,unfortunately away on vacation when he passed away but left this tribute to him . He had asked me to speak at his funeral but once told me  I only had 5 minutes. I remember we both laughed when I said " Warren...it will take me that long to think up something nice to say about you !" 

Posted Jan 23, 2024 at 12:22pm Smith Funeral Home Stoney Creek Ontario "Hope I die before I get old " - The Who (from My Generation)

When I think of this lyric...I think of my friend , Warren. He may have been in his 91st year , elderly in some people's books but not to him..or me. While he was old school in some ways he was always young in spirit , keeping abreast of current events and staying in touch with friends and family right up until the end. We were friends for more than 40 years....had lunch together the week before his passing and during that last meeting , did as we usually did...talked about sports..politics..the state of the world ..laughed ..and oh yes, discussed whether his cell phone was working
properly. !! I would usually say, " Warren..you have almost a hundred messages here" ..so if you didn't hear from him in the months previous, you know why.
Warren and I were broadcast competitors initially in Hamilton...became work colleagues at Mohawk college and friends for life. We spoke on the phone almost every day...twice a day after Paula's passing and I will miss those daily calls going forward. We took some memorable trips with Warren and Paula over the years. Warren and I walked the beaches in Normandy France...rode the subway in St. Petersburg Russia...visited the shipyards in Gdansk Poland..and drank waayyy too much red wine at a lengthy dinner in Rome.
Warren was a good guy..and a good friend who always stayed in touch. We even spoke when we were away on vacation after I managed to teach him how to use Messenger on his phone. One of the trips he always wanted to take was to South America saying he really wanted to visit the Falkland Islands. Ironically, we were just pulling into the Falklands on our recent cruise when we received word from Warren Jr. that his dad had passed. We raised a glass to him there and liked to think that he really was with us in spirit that day.
The last thing Warren said to me as I left our pre-Christmas lunch was "the next lunch is on me". I joked with wife Carol about the lengths some people will go to get out of paying !!
Rest easy , friend .

Last edited by fyshtalk (March 11, 2024 10:38 am)

 

March 12, 2024 9:07 am  #4


Re: Remembering A Hamilton Radio Veteran Who Passed Away In January

Sorry for your loss, Bryan.   Was looking forward to seeing you at Warren's service but was told you were on vacation.

Here is the link to the video I produced in 2012 when Warren received an RTDNA Lifetime Achievement Award. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEQ_IQ5mhPA

Cheers,

Terry