David Pate, 64, on Feb 9. Pate’s journalism career started in 1978 at the Tullamore Tribune in County Offally, Ireland when a summer job turned into a three-year stint as a reporter. From there, he joined RTE in Dublin as a reporter, program editor and host of “Newsnight.” He landed at CBC Nova Scotia in 1989 and would go on to spend the next 31 years there as a producer and host. He retired from the public broadcaster in late 2020, ending his tenure as senior producer of regional radio call-in show “Maritime Noon.” Over his four decades in journalism, Pate reported from more than two dozen countries. Since 2022, he’d been hosting the National Anthems: The Worst Songs in the World podcast, exploring the history of national anthems.
Wally Kirk, 86, on Feb. 6. After attending Ryerson University in Toronto, Kirk started his broadcasting career at CFRN Edmonton in the late 1950s. Kirk detoured to Vancouver and Toronto to focus on advertising, before returning to Edmonton in 1974, joining new entrant to the television market, ITV (now Global). Kirk served as VP of Programming from the time the station signed on until his retirement in 1999.
Jack Gillespie, 80, on Feb. 6. Gillespie spent the bulk of his broadcast career with CKNX Wingham, ON, rising through the ranks from an account rep to sales manager and eventually General Manager. Among other station initiatives he helped spearhead was the first-ever CKNX “Health Care Heroes’ Radiothon” in 2003, which has gone on to raise more than $14 million for area hospital foundations.
Terry Middleditch, 66, on Dec. 5. After studying Radio Broadcasting at Fanshawe College, Middleditch started his long sales career at CKTB St. Catharines. From there, he joined CHYM and CKGL Kitchener, before heading west to Alberta in 1984 – first as an account manager at CISN Edmonton, followed by a 12-year run at Country 105 (CKRY-FM) Calgary. A five-year stint at Astral’s Classic Country AM 1060 (CKMX-AM) followed, before Middleditch moved into event marketing and sales under the banner of his own company, Rational Media, working with National Finals Rodeo, Canadian Finals Rodeo, Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Calgary Stampede, among other events.
Norman Fetterley, 74, on Nov. 23. A natural public speaker, Fetterley began his broadcast journalism career at CJRN Radio in Niagara Falls in 1967, before moving on to CKTB St. Catharines. He forayed into television in 1972 at CHFD Thunder Bay. From there, he pursued opportunities at CFTO Toronto and then moved with the station to Ottawa to cover Parliament Hill. He joined CJOH-TV Ottawa in the same role in 1983, where he stayed until 1997. Among the regular segments Fetterley was known for was the long-running “Gallery Talk,” featuring a panel of correspondents on the week in politics. He retired from CTV Ottawa in 2013 after more than 45 years on-air.
