1961 Kelowna

[Jack Bennest]

Pictured supplied by Chris Cleaver of Kelowna

Mike might want to comment - I think I have access to a legend of who is in the
photograph and will post as soon as I can.

Both came in as very high resolution scans.

Right off the bat - Bob Hall is crouched near the middle

[Jack Bennest]

[jon]

I'm assuming that Bill Cleaver is the father of Mike and Chris.

But, is Doug Glover related to Dave Glover of 1970s CJAT Trail? Thought there might be a resemblance, but it has been too many years for me to be sure.

[radiofan]

I was wondering the same about Bill Cleaver.

Also, wondering if Jack Cooper is maybe Mel Cooper's brother? I know the family owned Cooper's Foods and it was based
in the Okanagan.

[Mike Cleaver]

Yes, that's my late father.
He died a couple of years ago, just a week shy of his 95th birthday.
He did a couple of years as a copywriter at CKOV.
I remember all those people very well.
They were all there when I started hanging around the station that year, doing odd jobs and generally being a nuisance.
I gradually started getting operating jobs during remotes and doing a 15 minute high school show every week before my first regular shifts starting on Christmas Eve that year.
I remember that van and the shot was taken in the lane between the north side of the station and Arena Motors, where the van and the generator for the station lived.

[Jack Bennest]

Hi Jack,

I just found this gem of a photo. It’s the CKOV staff, taken in the alley behind the old studios at 1491 Pandosy. It was taken in November 1961. The second image is my father’s key of who is in the photo. Feel free to put this up on Radiowest and certainly the BC history site. More to come.

Cheers

Chris

Mike: I assume Bill Cleaver is the person crouched between Walter and Bob - quite the resemblance
if I am correct

I have posted a larged sized pix at www.bcradiohistory.com - which will be the featured page for a couple of weeks

Tell Chris to keep them coming

[Mike Cleaver]

Yeah, that's my dad between Walt and Bob, when he still had some hair left!
CKOV was my father's first job after we arrived in Kelowna when he retired from the RCAF and we moved west.
He also spent some time selling signs!
That was before he went back into government harness, joining Canada Manpower.
He was later transferred to Dawson Creek as manager there and then to Vancouver where he wrangled the Howe Street Canada Manpower office until his last year when he was moved back to Kelowna as Manager for retirement.
I'm not sure if Jack Cooper was related to Mel but it's possible.
Dave Dunn was the local sales manager at that time and his son Robbie went on to his own radio successes in BC.
I think Ken Compton was National Sales Manager.
I'm not sure either if the Glovers were related.
Doug was the station accountant, I believe.
"Girlfriend" Gloria was the librarian and hosted an afternoon show.
Jack Bews was News Director, his wife Marion was Jim Brown's girl Friday.
Art Vipond was Engineer and my mentor in all things electronic.
Charles Patrick was in sales.
Marlene Dittrick I believe was the traffic person and I remember Barb Stevens but can't remember what her job was.
Bridges and Neufeld were announcers as were Al Parfitt and Jack Cooper.
Walt was the morning man, Bob Hall did sports.
This was an era where pretty much only sane people worked in the business.
In the years that followed, up to 1967 when I left to go to Lethbridge, we had all sorts of characters flow through the station, some staying literally only for hours and others for several years.
It's the first time in decades that I've seen that picture.
I know Chris is going through boxes of stuff and hopefully comes up with more gems.
I know he has a picture of me in the CJOC production control room with Al Oeming's cheetah sitting beside me.
And let me add another plea to members of this board:
Please post any radio related photos and memories that you have before they are lost forever!

[Jasmin Doobay]

What goes around comes around!
Grade 11 practicum student in the building today.
Says his grandfather was in radio when a station was downtown.
Found this fabulous picture to show him.
His grandfather was Al Parfitt!
He was pretty impressed.
Thanks for posting the picture...nice to see radio is in this young mans blood!
Jasmin

[Dianne Laird]

On either end of this photo are my parents, Al Parfitt and Barara Stephens. Great picture. I would love to get a copy if anyone can help me with that? My dad passed in 1990, but my mom is living back in Kelowna.

[Jack Bennest]

Dianne - I have replied to your inquiry by giving out my email address.

Once I have that I will seek permission of Mike and Chris Cleaver. Chris first sent the pix to me.

[Dianne Laird]

Thanks Jack, very nice of you. Now I might owe you something!