RIP Don Roberts

1

The radio industry is mourning the passing of W. Donald “Don” Roberts Jr., who in addition to being a World War II veteran was a radio station owner and long-time broker with Kozacko Media Services.


Jody McCoy, President of the National Association of Media Brokers, said, “Although he was less active in recent years, Don was the consummate community broadcaster who helped many aspiring owners get started in radio. We send our condolences to the partners at Kozacko Media and to Don’s family and friends.”

Here is the notice on Roberts as presented by NAMB:

A resident of Keswick, Virginia, Don leaves behind his wife Maureen, three daughters, two sons, nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Don was born in New York City on November 7, 1926, and grew up in Pelham, New York, and Winnetka, Illinois. He lived in Evanston, Illinois, Dayton, Ohio, Northbrook, Illinois, Lac Du Flambeau, Wisconsin, Sarasota, Florida and Keswick, Virginia. Don enlisted in the Army Air Corps. four months prior to his 18th birthday in 1944. Upon his return from service Don attended the University of Illinois. Don was a salesman with the advertising firms of Foote, Cone and Belding and Peters, Griffin and Woodward in Dayton, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. He then went into business with his father as Vice President of Roto Forge Corporation in Rockford, Illinois. Upon his father’s retirement he became a co-owner of the Minocqua Marine Mart, in Minocqua, Wisconsin.

The media business called back to Don and he purchased the radio stations WJMS and WIMI of Ironwood, MI and WJMT and WMZK of Merrill/Wausau, Wisconsin. Later Don would also operate two stations in Endicott, New York and two in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Upon the sale of Don’s radio stations he became a media broker with Kozacko Media.

He was an avid boater, tennis player and Green Bay Packer fan.

Private family services were held last week. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, Children’s Tumor Foundation or Hospice of the Piedmont.

RBR-TVBR observation: Thank you, Mr. Roberts, for your service to radio and your service to America. We offer our deepest sympathies to family and friends.

1 COMMENT

  1. Don was responsible for helping us realize our dream of radio station ownership when my wife, Susan, and I were looking for a small station to buy in the IL/WI area in 1999. Once we completed the purchase, when some brokers of that era would have disappeared, Don stayed in touch and gave me a huge amount of free advice and guidance. A consummate pro, with successful operating experience that he shared willingly, Don Roberts was a great guy who will be dearly missed.

Comments are closed.