Webber
The newsman was a Tulsa favorite for nearly three decades. He
retired last month.
Longtime Tulsa broadcaster Jerry Webber, 62, died at 5:30 a.m. Saturday at his home. He had
lost a battle with stomach cancer.
Services are pending with Ninde Funeral Home's Garden Chapel.
His friend and former co-anchor Karen Keith and KJRH Sports Director Al Jerkens made the on-
air announcement at 11:30 a.m. Saturday on Channel 2.
"It is a great loss not only for us but also for his family and the many friends Jerry has
throughout the state," they told viewers. "Jerry was an inspiration to us all. His
determination and optimism on a daily basis, even his last hours, were a testimony of Jerry's
life, faith and commitment to people and his work. He will be missed by all of us."
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Jerry's family," said Bill Donahue, vice president and
general manager of KJRH. "His heart and soul revolved around his family, friends and the people
and places of Oklahoma. We'll all fondly remember Jerry as the best storyteller we've ever
known."
"Jerry was one of the kindest, most giving souls I have ever met," Keith said. "That
kindness was extended to everyone he met. He was also generous with his time. It was not
uncommon for Jerry to come running to do a newscast at the last minute. He wasn't taking a
long, leisurely dinner break but speaking either to a group of students, a community
organization or church group.
"He set the bar high for community service and a strong work ethic. I will miss his
friendship and his trusted counsel for whatever was going on in my life."
In a 1985 newspaper interview, Webber said, "Even if the Good Lord loves you a lot, you
don't live long. Professionally you have 40 to 45 years. You've got to do something you like.
You have to make choices.''
On Nov. 25, cancer made the choice for him. He announced to KJRH staff members then that he
would retire at the end of the year to focus on his health. Diagnosed with cancer last summer,
Webber had been taking chemotherapy treatments until recently.
That announcement meant the end of a career that spanned more than four decades -- including
29 years at Tulsa's NBC-affiliated station.
Born in Burbank, he played baseball, basketball and ran track for Kaw City High School. He
attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College and majored in speech at Oklahoma City University
before starting out in the broadcasting business doing livestock market reports for Claremore's KWPR radio in 1958. He handled play-by-play reporting and advertising for KVIN
in Vinita before moving to Ponca City's WBBZ in 1959, where he was host of a call-in program,
served as program director and sales manager, did sports play-by-
play and served as station manager from 1967 to 1969.
He decided to try television and landed the job at KJRH-Channel 2 (then KVOO-TV) in March
1969, hoping for a position in sports. But fate stepped in.
The plan, Webber explained, was for him to practice working with a camera off-air. But his
first day on the job, the station's anchorman had to take time off and Webber was "initiated"
into the news business. He temporarily filled in as a news anchor and ended up as the 6 and 10
p.m. weekday anchor for 10 months. In January 1971, he took over as sports director, a position
he held until September 1986 when he was moved to the news desk full time as co-anchor for the
5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.
In September 1997, he stepped down from the anchor desk to become executive producer,
writer, editor and anchorman for the "Oklahoma People" and "From the Heartland" news series for
KJRH.
In a Channel 2 special on his career, Webber told his former KJRH co-anchor Karen Keith, "If
you are going to make your home in a city, raise your children there, educate your children
there, earn a living there, you owe it to yourself and your city to participate."
For Webber, that meant participation with a capital "P."
During his career, he donated countless hours to his community, including giving
commencement speeches, emceeing awards and sports banquets for hundreds of organizations and
donating his
time as keynote speaker for area organizations, universities and colleges, as well as serving
as emcee for the University of Tulsa Hall of Fame Banquet since its inception. He coached youth
baseball, basketball and football for 20 years, served on the United Way Speakers Bureau and
has been a member of the Woolaroc Advisory Board, the Eastern Oklahoma Arthritis Foundation
Board, state and local boards for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, co-president of the
Mason High School Parent-
Teacher Association with his wife, Dorothy, and a member of the Scottish Club of Tulsa.
He also served in 1981 as honorary chairman of the Walter Hagen Golf Tournament, which
raised funds for the American Cancer Society, and was named the radio voice of the United
States Football League's Oklahoma Outlaws in 1984. He did color commentary for the Tulsa
Roughnecks professional soccer team until May 1982. He also was play-by-play announcer for the
TU Golden Hurricane football team for several years.
Webber's work in broadcasting was recognized with numerous awards, including the 1993 George
Washington Medal of Honor given by the Freedom Foundation for commentaries on Americanism, the
National Conference of Christians and Jews 1992 Media Award for best television
editorial/commentary for "Jerry Webber's Perspective," and the 1984 and 1987 Media Achievement
Award given by the Tulsa Chapter of American Women in Radio and Television for outstanding
television anchorman.
He also received the 1988 Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association Ray Soldan Award for
outstanding contribution to Oklahoma high school basketball through news and media as well as
the 1996 Jim Thorpe Award and the 1994 Career Achievement Award given by the Tulsa Broadcasters
Association.
He also was the recipient of the 1981 Jim Mendies Memorial Award given by The Tulsa Tribune,
the 1978 Distinguished Public Service Award presented by the Eastern Oklahoma Chapter of the
Arthritis Foundation, the 1992 Lifetime Achievement Award for Broadcast Journalism and
Education and was an honorary member of the Oklahoma Board of the Fellowship of Christian
Athletes. Webber was named an honorary Sandite by the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce in 1992,
an honorary member of the University of Tulsa Athletic Letterman Association in 1983 and
received a Centennial Citation from TU in 1995.
Most recently, the Tulsa Chapter of the American Women in Radio & Television awarded him the
Best of Broadcast Silver Star Award for contributions to the industry, and his "From the
Heartland" series received recognition from the 1998 "Keep Oklahoma Beautiful" campaign.
After Webber announced his illness last summer, Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating declared Sept.
12, 1998, "Jerry Webber Day" during the University of Tulsa vs. Oklahoma State University
football game in Tulsa. Also this fall, he was named the recipient of the "Will Rogers Spirit
Award" by the Rotary Club of Will Rogers High School and received the award from Jim Rogers,
Will Rogers' son.
"Here's a statue of Dad," Rogers said in November at the annual Will Rogers Gala at Will
Rogers High School. "I know he'd feel very proud for you to have it."
"I cannot imagine any greater honor a man could receive in this lifetime than to have one's
name in any way associated with your father's name," Webber replied.
Webber received the award, Rotary officials said, for tirelessly promoting charities and
civic organizations throughout his career.
In a previous interview, Webber was asked what was the most important thing he had ever done
in his life. His answer was, "I married well."
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; three sons, Jerry Jr. of Galena Park, Texas, Kurt of
Tulsa and Brett of Lexington; his mother, Golda, of Kaw City; two sisters, Jo Adell Keeler and
Donna Corlett, both of Kaw City; and four grandchildren.
Rita Sherrow can be reached at 581-8360.
