Glen Robitaille passes at 97

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Glen Robitaille passes at 97

Postby radiofan » Mon Jun 22, 2015 11:33 am

From Gord Lansdell at Northwest Broadcasters

Award-winning pioneer radio and television broadcaster Glen Robitaille died today in Kamloops at age 97. He began his career as a transmitter operator, becoming a studio operator and announcer at CKWX Vancouver from 1934-42 before engineering the installation of numerous radio stations from New Brunswick to Alberta from 1945-49. He then became Director of Engineering for CFPL in London ON in 1949 and Technical Design Manager for the new CFPL-TV in 1952, where he stayed until retirement in 1983. Robitaille was featured in a news item on CFJC-TV Kamloops on April 24th commemorating his broadcast achievements. A service is tentatively scheduled for Saturday in Kamloops
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Re: Glen Robitaille passes at 97

Postby jon » Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:07 pm

I never heard it confirmed, but Glen was thought to be the oldest living Western Canada broadcaster.

Which begs the question, who holds that title now?

For many years, it was Joy Roberts-White, who was 102 when she died at the beginning of 2013. Though perhaps best known for covering the 1936 Olympics for Reuters, her work was regularly seen on three Edmonton television stations, and she taught at both UofA and NAIT.

Both Glen and Joy had amazing careers!
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Re: Glen Robitaille passes at 97

Postby albertaboy4life » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:16 am

Which begs the question, who holds that title now?


Maybe Wilf Ray?
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Re: Glen Robitaille passes at 97

Postby jon » Tue Jun 23, 2015 12:14 pm

Just checked an article dated August 9, 2010, that said he was 83.

Which makes him no more than 88 now. Locally, here in Edmonton, we have Gord Skutle, who is currently 95, and doing quite well, health-wise.
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