This Death Really Hurts

Stories and info about those no longer involved in the industry

This Death Really Hurts

Postby jon » Fri Feb 28, 2014 4:03 pm

Gerry Bavington

The Best Boss I ever had. The Best Job I ever had.

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BAVINGTON, Gerry - Passed away peacefully on November 1, 2013 at home at the age of 76. Loving husband of Diana and father of Christopher, Gregory (Ramona) and Mark (Tanya). Proud Papa of Benjamin, Sarah and Matthew, and Veronica, Gage, Reid and Dane. Big brother to Catherine (Paul), Bernadette, Mary (Fred) and Paul (Michelle). Brother-in-law to Marlene (Mike), Eleanor and Dorene (Jerry). Gerry will be remembered fondly by many for his story telling, his sense of humour, his quick wit and his love of life. He loved the simple things in life, a good book, a cup of coffee and especially moments with his family. Friends may call on Monday, November 4, 2013 between 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the R.S. Kane Funeral Home (6150 Yonge Street, at Goulding, south of Steeles). A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Gabriel's Passionist Parish (670 Sheppard Ave E. in North York). As an expression of sympathy, donations may be made to Rossbrook House, Winnipeg, Manitoba. (http://www.rossbrookhouse.ca). Condolences http://www.rskane.ca

Published in the Toronto Star on Nov. 2, 2013

Gerry grew up in Toronto -- John Candy was one of his neighbours -- and spent most of his life there. With two exceptions. One after he retired from the CBC, when his wife took a transfer to Winnipeg for a while. And when I knew him, during his two years as Station Manager of CFPR, better known as CBC Prince Rupert. Right in the middle of that stint, at the end of June 1972, he hired me during a stop-over in Vancouver, on his way back to Prince Rupert after meetings in Toronto. I spent the next two months as Summer Relief Announcer/Operator. The Saturday and Sunday Morning shows were the best part of the job. When you knew that Marine Weather Forecasts were something that a lot of people relied upon.

Although he spent his entire career at the CBC, from the 1950s to the 1990s, and understood the likes of Max Ferguson, Peter Gzowski and Allan McFee, and the magic of their kind of CBC Radio, Gerry also knew and understood commercial radio. And the people in it. For example, he knew about the late Cam Lane's decade long success at CFTK-AM & TV in Terrace, and his presence in Prince Rupert. And got him back behind the microphone at CFPR, from where he transferred to CBUT-TV in Vancouver shortly after Gerry went back to Toronto.

Looking back, I realize that Gerry taught me how to be a great boss from 1978-82 when I managed up to seven people at an Edmonton engineering consulting firm. I've had a lot of bosses over the years, probably 20 in all, but only Gerry and a fellow at AGT were the kind of boss that I tried to be during the few stints I had with people reporting to me.

So much more that I could say, but just so glad that Gerry contacted me around the turn of the century, and we kept in touch by e-mail ever since, and even got a chance to meet for several hours when I was in Toronto for a Disaster Recovery Exercise back in 2003.
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