Bill Walters, long time broadcaster passes away

Posted March 29, 2008

Zummach, William W.


William W. Zummach, fondly remembered as BILL WALTERS, age 84, a resident of 1705 Cedar Grove Drive, Manitowoc entered into eternal life on Thursday, March 27, 2008 at North Ridge Medical & Rehabilitation Center in Manitowoc.


[EDIT-post truncated because originating material appears to be copyrighted.]

Editor:

This information is NOT copyrighted. Please do NOT edit.

William W. Zummach, whose radio airname was "BILL WALTERS", 84, a resident of 1705 Cedar Grove Drive, Manitowoc passed away on Thursday, March 27, 2008.
Bill was born on March 12, 1924. After high school, he attended the Conservatory of Music and took radio courses while working part time at WMLO in Milwaukee. In 1948, Bill took a job at WMAM in Marinette where he did a morning show, "Pappy Kleeber's Jamboree". In 1950, he moved to Green Bay and worked for WDUZ. He broadcast the Friday Night Winter Dance Party from the Riverside Ballroom including emceeing the second last appearance of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens, and also did numerous remotes from Jim Manci's Supper Club. In 1963, Bill moved to Manitowoc and worked at WCUB where he was promoted to Chief Announcer, Program Director, and later selected as Farm Director. He served in this capacity until his retirement in 1992. Bill took a part time job at WKTT-FM in Cleveland, WI where he continued to broadcast the farm news. Bill received many awards over the years including a citation from the Wisconsin State Assembly celebrating his retirement, was designated by the FFA as an honorary American Farmer, and was a recipient of a resolution from the Manitowoc County Board for his contributions to the Dairy Industry. He was a former member of the National Associaton of Farm Broadcasters. He will be buried on Monday, March 31st at Graceland Cemetary in his hometown of Milwaukee, WI

He broadcast the Friday Night Winter Dance Party from the Riverside Ballroom including emceeing the second last appearance of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens, and also did numerous remotes from Jim Manci's Supper Club. Did you know if Bill only MC'ed the Dance Party at the Riverside or was it a remote OTA that night on DUZ?

Bill Walters...

I was fresh out of Tech school in 1977 and looking for a job. Hubert Willis, then CE of WCUB hired me to do remote broadcasts for the station that summer. It was the start of 5 years of working part time with Bill and the rest of the 'gang' at WCUB and WKUB (now WLTI)... Our first remote together was at a firefighters picnic at Collins, Wis. Learned what a phone line did that day... as well as what happens at a Wisconsin small town picnic! I owe a lot to Bill. I learned to run automation, record Christmas programs at the high schools and Colleges around the area and he was always there... Magillacudy, he used to call me... or Bosco... The latter was an old nickname I keep to this day.. Without his help and Hurbert Willis constant supervision, I couldn't have survived the career ahead. We kept in touch as I went from WCUB back to college and WMNE, WBAY TV, KIOA Radio as CE and until I married my late wife Christine. I think of those roots often. I am now an engineer with WHO TV.

Thanks to you Bill...

John Kosobucki