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Tribute: Bob Thomas - WJHS Co-Founder

Juan Bodley

Juan Bodley

Sunday morning Bob Thomas passed away.
Not many (probably none of you) know the name, but for a lot of people in the Columbia City area, Bob almost single-handedly brought local radio back when 106.3 (then WFDT) left town for Fort Wayne. Although it was a high school station, Bob and others got it going and it came on the air in 1985. Myself and several students participated in the program, and while it's not the same sound, the station is still on the air. That's a lasting tribute to Bob, and I hope it keeps going.

Bob taught me the basics (cueing records, basic "rip and read" news, you get it) and he more importantly let me be my own man on the mic, and gave me the skillset to get a foot in the door in higher places. For the skills, the education, the mentoring, the friendship, and a job after school as well (I supervised for him for 5 more years after skool...) T: I thank you kindly.

If you know a "T" in the world, give thanks whatever way you want. He'd want it that way.
Salute to Bob Thomas.
 
Sorry to hea about Bob.

Can you tell me about "leaving town and the litany of call letters?

WHO did Joe Sweeney sell to - and the guy died in a car wreck? Then who bought it? Can anyone elaborate?
 
If you want to see all of the "second comings" of 106.3, check www.indianaradio.net.
I couldn't keep track of all the owner changes...after all they started when I was about 8 or 9, I think.

But I'll take the chance to salute Bob Thomas again. He's the reason I ever got on the mic. I'm still looking for SOMEBODY who will let me smoke a transmitter in his honor... :eek:
 
Thanks Juan,
There are some missing pieces there. The WFDT istory is incomplete, and the other call letters don't have it all.

The owner immediately after Dependable is not listed. He also owned WVTL (untril his death) and it is also missing from there.
 
Sorry. When that all happened, I was a kid, and I don't really know where to tell ya to look.
I do know where things like the old studios and the transmitter were, but what the hell does that matter now?
When I got on the air in CC, it was on 91.5 and I was a nut.

glad to say I'm still loco!!!
 
Many of these men and women who started high school radio in Indiana are growing older. Sorry to hear the loss to Columbia City. All of us who owe our entire professional life to these school stations know what they mean to us, even if at times there are influences trying to do away with our stations. I owe my career in commercial radio and now as a high school broadcasting teacher to Paul Mendenhall, who was my teacher at Ben Davis.
 
Here is what I know about 106.3, Columbia City

Started by Joe Sweeney of Rochester, IN in 1968. Joe also started WVTL (Monticello) and WROI, (Rochester).

WFDT was the "flagship" for ap news (read by the wfdt jock) for the other 2 stations, several times a day. WFDT was managed by Randy Jefferies (later a station broker in FL) w/ news by Jerry Clark (of WIFF Auburn, and WLYV, Ft. Wayne).

The 3 stations were Gates transmitters w/125 ft pl-rod towers and homemade audio boards. Alll 3 stations generally tracked easy listening lp sides (a statndard practice back then).

WVTL only operated 9am-5pm, managed by Jean Clerget. WROI was managed by Sweeney. WVTL broadcast alot of Ralph Emery and John Doremus.

Joe sold wfdt in 1973 to Tom Jurek and Steve Klabon of Chicago. They made the station oldies. In Jan of '75 Klabon was killed in a car wreck and Jurek sold the station to Bruce Quinn who did not change the call letters. My recollection is that Quinn died of cancer several years later and theit stations reverted to his wife. After Klabon died, Jurek bought WRIN, and WLQI, Rensselaer, and some comstruction permits, finding the freqs (and selling) what is now WFRL, Winamac, WNDZ, Portage, and WGLM. West Lafayette.
 
Quinn is still very much alive! In later years he put on the air the signals that are now 95.7 in Lafayette and WKLU in Indy, and more recently has been involved (with wife Mitzi) at WHUM-LP in Columbus, and as owner of WMRS in Monticello.
 
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