Area broadcasting legend Dan Willis died of cancer Sunday morning at Mount Carmel Medical Center, according to this morning's Pittsburg Morning Sun.
Willis had been the trademark voice of KKOW (formerly KOAM) Radio in Pittsburg for 41 years. Despite advancing cancer, Willis remained on the air until early last month.
The article quotes KKOW general manager as saying, "He just had a great heart. In this business, and in media in general, there are so many egos. Dan was the exception."
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Regular readers of The Turner Report know that I have criticized area newspapers, including The Joplin Globe, the Neosho Daily News, and the Lamar Democrat for the way they have handled obituaries of prominent personalities. The Carthage Press has always been a newspaper that handles them well. The Morning Sun did an excellent job with its Dan Willis coverage. The Globe did not have a word about Mr. Willis in today's newspaper, despite his longtime prominence in area broadcasting.