James Kent ”ken” Courtright

Ken Courtright

James Kent “Ken” Courtright, will be remembered as a master of the spoken word in a rich, baritone, authoritative voice. Courtright, age 74, of New Philadelphia, died peacefully early Saturday evening, April 3, 2010, in Union Hospital at Dover in a room which overlooked the WJER radio station where his broadcasting career began.A son of the late William Ellsworth Courtright and Edith Marta (Vogley) Courtright Fankhauser, Ken was born at Dover, Ohio on October 26, 1935. He was proud of his Swiss heritage being the first generation of his family to have been born in America.In the mid 1950’s, Ken began his radio career with WJER 1450 AM at Dover where he had been influenced by the radio coverage of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and the work of Carl Reese. In 1958, Ken relocated to Cleveland and began working for WERE 1300 AM and was also hired to present the news on KYW 1100 AM. Later, he was given the position as the News Director at WCUE 1150 AM at Akron. In 1965, Ken returned to KYW 1100 AM and stayed there after the call letters were changed to WKYC. Long after his departure, Ken’s unique tone was still heard for EBS alert testing and the Sunday evening “sign-offs.” Ken served as the news director for WJW 850 AM and also held news positions with WSLR 1350 (Akron, Ohio), WQKT (Wooster, Ohio), WGAR 1220 AM (Cleveland), WKIS (Orlando, Fla.), WBGB 1580 (Mt. Dora, Fla.), WCER 900 AM (Canton, Ohio), WDBN, 94.9 (Medina, Ohio) and ultimately spent twenty-seven years with the Tuscarawas Broadcasting Company where he was the News Director for WBTC 1540 AM and served as a news anchor for WNPQ 95.9 FM. It was with WBTC that Ken would originate the well-known morning program, “Dial and Deal”.In 1990, Ken would again return to the airwaves of 1100 AM, now WTAM, and would present the news for a fifth decade on one Cleveland radio frequency.Throughout his career, Ken covered some well-known news stories in Northeast Ohio, including the Sam Shepherd Trial, the Kent State shootings and the Ashby Leach hostage drama. Ken met many celebrities and politicians throughout his career, favorites being Don and Phil Everly, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Vail, Doris Day, Tina Louise, Gina Lollobrigida, Jayne Mansfield, Sophia Loren, Edward Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. Among his favorite stories is the time Tab Hunter (at the height of his popularity) hid in the back of Ken’s car to avoid throngs of screaming fans.Ken left a legacy within the Northeast Ohio broadcasting industry, one that has spanned more than forty-five years. Ken’s voice can still be heard from time to time doing PSA commercials, and top of the hour news intros for some radio stations, as well as sign on and sign off spots.Ken leaves behind a loving family which includes four sons, Alan (Mary) Courtright of Medina, Sean (Peggy) Courtright of Wooster, Les Middleton, Jeffrey (Leah) Courtright of Virginia Beach, Virginia; three daughters, Ellen Kay Courtright of Lakewood, Julie (Wilson) Haugh of Lorain, and Jillian Courtright of Cleveland, and a former wife, Debra Durham Courtright of Vermillion.Completing Ken’s family are five grandchildren, James, Emily, Olivia, Cady, and Evan as well as one great-granddaughter, Mary.In addition to his parents, Ken was preceded in death by a son, Robin Lee Courtright; a brother, Bill Courtright; a sister, Charlotte Allenbaugh; and his step-father, Gordon Fankhauser, and his first wife Linette Dickey Courtright Boles.The family will receive friends on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, from 5:00 Â? 8:00 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory in New Philadelphia and again one hour prior to services. Ken’s longtime colleague and friend from the Tuscarawas Broadcasting Company, Mr. Kevin Baker, will lead a memorial service celebrating Ken’s life in the funeral home’s chapel on Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 2:00 PM. Inurnment will follow in the East Avenue Cemetery at New Philadelphia. The family requests that memorial contributions in Ken’s name be directed to the Baseball Heritage Museum, Colonial Marketplace Arcade, 530 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115 or the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Ohio, 3380 Tremont Road, Columbus, Ohio 43221.”THAT’S THE NEWSÂ?” Goodbye, Ken Courtright