Friday March 29th, 2024 7:52AM

70th Anniversary: Remembering jobs Well DUN from late radio personalities

Over the past 70 years, Jacobs Media has been lucky to have big personalities, patient producers, efficient salespeople, expert administration and just plain friendly faces all working alongside each other. Whether an employee has stacked up several decades of day-to-day work or only popped in part-time, we know some of our employees are simply with us in spirit.

We talk about them often and like they are still here. Their mailbox slot remains unemptied as if they're coming back tomorrow. We still tell their decades-old stories at lunches and parties, as if it just happened yesterday. New hires get crash courses in late employees, with each conversation ending with how much they would have liked the departed. Those conversations usually end in laughter, though occasionally we still shed a few tears.

Below, we recognize just a handful of people who carved out years of their lives to help make Jacobs Media exactly what it is today. 

PERSONALITIES and COMMENTARY

James "Bimbo" Brewer 1943 - 2017
The afternoons were much more fun with Bimbo Brewer. In 1991, the community character joined WDUN hosting "Fun at Four and Five" with a myriad of co-hosts through the years, officially on the payroll from 1998 to 2002. Brewer later went on to law enforcement and as a writer for The Times. A marble elephant statue at Gainesville High's football field was dedicated to him after his sudden passing.
More about Bimbo's life
LISTEN: Bimbo Brewer on "Fun at Four and Five" in one of his famous ramblings


Ted Oglesby - a. 1933 - 2017
A storied journalist who landed in Gainesville in 1956, Ted Oglesby served as the news director for WDUN for three years and often gave political analysis during election season. He leant his writings to the website as a columnist from 2012 to 2014. He also founded the Gainesville Tribune in 1959 and was on staff at The Times for 25 years. He was also a distinguished military man, retiring from the U.S. Air Force as a Colonel in 1981. 
More about Ted's life
Complete announcements from 2017


Jerry Gunn 1946 - 2016
A seasoned and decorated reporter, Gunn came to WDUN in 2004. Prior to that, he earned a Green Eyeshade Award at WRGA Radio in Rome, was Assistant Director of WMAZ Radio in Macon, and spent some time in television, opening the Valdosta news bureau for WALB TV in Albany. Gunn was also known for his writings on his battle with cancer. In his spare time, Gunn was a Civil War reenactor who wrote two books and was featured on Conan O'Brien. 
More about Jerry's life
Complete announcements from 2016
LISTEN: Jerry Gunn interviewing Phil Neikro for a news story in 2010

LISTEN: Jerry Gunn delivers the news in 2010

 

Gordon Sawyer a. 1926 - 2015
Gordon Sawyer was known over the airwaves for his "Common Sense Chronicles" on WDUN, but he was also an advertising executive and a historian for Northeast Georgia. During his busy career he still found the time to engage in a myriad industry avenues and civic, educational and political endeavors. After he retired from advertising, he wrote columns for what was then AccessNorthGa.com, began his commentary on WDUN and wrote six books on local history.
More about Gordon's life
Complete announcements from 2015
LISTEN: An audio tribute to Gordon Sawyer on the Bill and Joel Morning Show

 

Tom Israel 1940 - 2014
A true blue broadcaster, Tom Israel worked for WDUN, WGGA and WLBA in Gainesville and WRWH in Cleveland. Israel was an on-air talent, a news reporter and wrote copy in the 1980's and early 1990's.
Complete arrangement from 2014

 

Wyc Orr 1946 - 2014
Eston Wycliffe "Wyc" Orr Sr.'s political voice wasn't limited to his career as an attorney and state Representative. He was a regular commentator on WDUN and also participated in election coverage. Orr was also heavily involved in civic and community organizations, such as Meals on Wheels and Common Cause Georgia.
More about Wyc's life
LISTEN: Wyc Orr on "the memory making business"

 

John Parks 1946 - 2008
With over 30 years of broadcasting experience, John Parks spent 14 of those years with Jacobs Media. He served most of his time as Overnight Editor, but was working late afternoons in the news department. A Master of journalism and a winner of several Associated Press Broadcasters Association awards, Parks also served as play-by-play for high school sports, and was known to be able to solve almost any glitch or problem. Parks was only the second employee to pass away while employed at WDUN. He is still known around the station as "The Ghost of John Parks." Current station employees who knew him described him as incredibly reliable and always at the station, filling in when no one else could; his spirit is credited when objects move on their own and when doors mysteriously open and close.
More about John's life
Complete announcements from 2008

 

J. Wesley "Wes" Merritt a. 1916 - 1999
Gainesville's - and possibly all of Northeast Georgia's - first African American disc jockey. Merritt was known for his show "Athens Street on Review" that broadcast from the Clearview Cafe on Athens Street. It was later called "The Wes Merritt Show" and was exclusively on WDUN in the mid-1950's to early 1960's. Merritt was also recognized as the voice of Fair Street Tiger Football and for his roles in education and politics. 
A tribute to Wes Merritt during Black History Month 2019

 

Jim Hartley 1924 - 1989
North Georgia's "Hillbilly Disc Jockey" became a regional staple while he hosted shows back and forth on WGGA and WDUN in the 1950s. He is remembered as a legendary morning show host, especially in his role as The Morning Show Mayor, which he earned while serving as mayor of Gainesville and being on the radio at the same time. He was mayor from 1975 - 1976 and again in 1983 - 1984, and served as an elected official for the city from 1971 - 1985. Hartley also booked talent for the radio station, at one point booking Ronnie Milsap. In the community, Hartley was a member of the Elk's Club.  In 1989, Hartley was the only employee who had been on the payroll when he passed. Hartley was also a politician, serving as the mayor of Gainesville.

 

Phil Jackson 1929 - 2014
Phil E. Jackson was a play-by-play announcer for WDUN and WGGA (1240AM) and a longtime Sports Editor for the Times. He began his broadcasting career in 1957, with a daily morning sportscast broadcasting from both stations. He was well-known for his coverage of the Masters Tournament and his coverage of Gainesville's own Tommy Aaron on the PGA circuit. He was also heavily involved in the creation of the Northeast Georgia Sports Hall of Fame at the Northeast Georgia History Center. The Phil Jackson Broadcast Booth at Bobby Gruhn Field was named in his honor in 2013, and he was deemed "The Voice of the Red Elephants" in 1972 by Gainesville Mayor Joe Stargel.
More about Phil's life
Complete arrangements from 2014

 

FAMILIAR FACES

Of course, not everyone who keeps a radio station running is on the air all the time, or sometimes ever. But without our administrative assistants, sales staff, engineers, and all around faces of Jacobs Media, the cogwheels in our machine just wouldn't work right.

Lois Ragan Martin 1929 - 2014
WDUN's first employee in 1949 was Lois Ragan Martin. Starting fresh out of high school, Martin remained a fixture at WDUN for over 60 years and served as Mr. Jacob's "right hand woman." Listeners, guests and employees remember her as the first smiling face encountered upon entering the radio station.  
More about Lois's life
Complete arrangements from 2014
LISTEN: Lois Martin joins Mr. Jacobs, B.J. Williams and Katie Highsmith during the 60th anniversary celebration

 

John W. Jacobs Jr. 1922 - 2011
The man who started it all on WDUN. Mr. Jacobs, as we called him around the station, built DUN from the ground up in 1949, brought cable television to Gainesville, and combined two popular radio stations - WDUN and WGGA - into a powerful team that still operates today as WDUN, WDUN-FM and The Lake (WGGA 94.5 and 1240), as well as AccessWDUN.com. A great communicator, the mass media and business building at Brenau University was named in his honor and he also published a memoir, The Longer You Live. Jacobs was deeply involved in the Gainesville-Hall County community, with too many organizations and engagements to list here. Jacobs remained our fearless leader until his passing in 2011. 
A tribute column by JMC's Director of Internet Operations Mitch Clarke
More about Mr. Jacob's life
Complete arrangements from 2011
LISTEN: A tribute to John W. Jacobs Jr the day he passed
LISTEN: John W. Jacobs Jr. speaks at Riverside Military Academy on the American Freedom Garden
LISTEN: A vintage recording of Mr. Jacobs at the Jesse Jewell dinner in 1964


Nell Allan a. 1924 - 2010
Nell Allan served Jacobs Media and its entities for 40 years. She was an account holder in the sales department before her retirement in the 1980's. Jacobs Media sales team member Jean Pethel remembered Allan as a sweet person who cared greatly for her clients, clients who didn't just love her, but respected her as well. Other members of the Jacobs Media family remembered the sharp wit that accompanied her quiet, sweet soul and love of selling radio.
More about Nell's life
Complete announcements from 2010


Robert S. Parker Jr. a. 1923 - 2004
A 35 year radio veteran, Robert Parker wore many hats at WDUN, and was also employed at WGGA before it was part of Jacobs Media. In the 1960's, he served as news director; he was also the first employee to use a computer at WDUN when he served as traffic director - the person who tells disc jockeys, producers and others when to play commercials, breaks, etc.; he served in varying capacities when it came to high school football coverage, sometimes two jobs in the same night; and he was known as a "ad hoc" engineer, going in to fix problems when the chief engineer was unavailable
More about Robert's life
Brief announcements from 2004

 

Frances Walpole 1926 - 1996
Taking on the front office frontier was Frances Walpole. Called the original CFO, Walpole was remembered by Jacobs Media staff as quiet, but always smiling and always hard at work. President Jay Jacobs remembered Walpole had an eye for detail in her bookkeeping. Her work at Jacobs Media spanned four decades.

 

SYNDICATED FAVORITES

And while some personalities are syndicated, it felt like they were in Gainesville as their programs helped fill out the WDUN and WGGA daily schedules.

Dr. Joy Browne 1944 - 2016
Psychologist Dr. Joy's syndicated show, The Dr. Joy Browne Show, was featured on WDUN starting in the 1990's and then returned in 2014 on the FM side until her sudden death in 2016. Her call-in show was nationally syndicated and ran for almost 30 years.
More about Dr. Joy Brown


Larry Munson 1922 - 2011
A legendary sportscaster and good ol' dawg, Munson was best known for his commentary on University of Georgia Bulldogs football and his lively delivery, as well as the fact he was a true Bulldogs fan whether he was on the mic or not.
More about Larry Munson


Paul Harvey 1918 - 2009
An ABC radio broadcaster from the Windy City, Paul Harvey's lilting voice and famous cliffhanger celebrity stories filled Gainesville's airwaves for many years on AM550 Newstalk. He began broadcasting nationally in 1951, delivering the news and comments and coining new terms - like guesstimate - in the process. 
More about Paul Harvey


WDUN is always looking forward to the future of radio, but we cannot do so without turning to our past and remembering those who paved the road we now travel. They may no longer be with us, but we will always appreciate their job Well DUN.

 

Special thanks to Jacobs Media family members Ken Stanford, B.J. Williams, Bill Maine, Jean Pethel and the Jacobs Family for lending their memories to this feature.

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