John Donabie, 78, on Feb. 1, following a long battle with cancer. Hailing from Oshawa, Donabie’s career started at CKLB in 1965 when he tapped one of their DJs to rent a PA system for a local R&B group he was managing. That led to his first job in radio in his hometown, before he left for the all-night shift at CKFH Toronto in the fall of 1967, and quickly went on to the late-night slot at CHUM-FM. Donabie enjoyed a 50+-year career that included being part of the launch team at Q107 (CILQ-FM) in 1977, a 15-year run at CFRB, and stops at CKFH, CKFM-FM, JAZZ.FM.91 (CJRT-FM), and Indie88 (CIND-FM) in Toronto; CKLG-FM Vancouver; CJFM Montreal; CFGM-FM Caledon; CKYC-FM Owen Sound; and CISS-FM Ottawa. Donabie also dabbled as a television host on CBC-TV’s Afternoon Delight in the late 1970s and was a contributor to CTV’s Canada AM. He retired from radio after six years hosting on University of Toronto campus station CIUT-FM in 2018. Donabie accepted the Allan Waters Broadcast Lifetime Achievement Award during Canadian Music Week in 2013 and was inducted into the Oshawa Walk of Fame this past November. Read more here.
Shawn Simpson, 56, on Jan. 29. Simpson played minor hockey in Rockcliffe, East Ottawa and Gloucester before joining the Ontario Hockey League’s Soo Greyhounds and becoming a third-round draft pick of the Washington Capitals in 1986. A member of Team Canada at the 1987 World Junior Hockey Championship, Simpson played with the Capitals’ American Hockey League affiliate, Baltimore Skipjacks, for three years, before injuries forced him into retirement and subsequently the Capitals’ front office where he was serving as Director of Hockey Operations by 1997, as well as GM of the AHL Portland Pirates. He was eventually named the Capitals’ Assistant GM. He went on to scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2004, and in 2009 did a brief stint as GM of Kontinental Hockey League club, Dinamo Minsk, in Belarus. He returned to Ottawa in 2012 and joined Team 1200 (later rebranded as TSN 1200) as co-host of “The Drive” with Ian Mendes from 2012-19, and then the station’s morning show through 2023, alongside John Rodenburg, in addition to Ottawa Senators pre- and post-game shows. He was caught up in a round of cutbacks at Bell Media in June 2023. Watch CTV Ottawa’s tribute to Simpson here.
Jeff Murray Riesen, 63, unexpectedly, in Vernon, BC. Born and raised in Winnipeg, after graduating with a Broadcasting certificate from Tec-Voc high school, Riesen pursued his passion for radio for over four decades. Stops on his broadcast journey included CJAY92 Calgary, EZ Rock (CKCR-FM) Revelstoke, and Timmins, ON, among many other stations. He had recently retired to the Okanagan after battling ill health for the past few years.
Don Andrews, 65, on Nov. 12. Born in Vancouver, Andrews infamously landed his first job in radio at CFOX as the first to don the Fox mascot suit. He was quickly made an on-air personality, followed by a DJ stint at CFMI where his boating experience led to taking on the role of captain of the station’s “Silver Bullet“ marine patrol, keeping Vancouver apprised of hot fishing spots, marine conditions and other water events. He went on to host a golf show on Bellingham, Washington’s KVOS-TV in the 1990s. Following his radio career, he helped start Body + Soul Health and Fitness and went on to found merchant payment processor, Nxgen Canada.
