EDITOR'S NOTE: This story originally appeared on BarrieToday.com.
Barrie has lost one of its most iconic voices.
Longtime Rock 95 radio personality Randy Richards died Sept. 13 at Hospice Simcoe after a three-year battle with cancer. He was 66.
Richards was often called “the hardest-working man in radio” because he was regularly the first one in the office and the last one out, held two jobs in the radio industry at the same time, and dedicated many hours preparing meticulously to deliver an informative, thoughtful, fun and energetic show for his listeners, according to a family statement provided to BarrieToday.
Richards was born Harold Randal Quinn near Canadian Air Force Base Marville in France, and grew up on military bases such as CFB Moose Jaw and CFB Trenton in his early years. He is survived by his wife and two children, who were by his side when he passed away.
"Randy was first and foremost a family man, and he enjoyed and participated in many of the activities his children were engaged in, including 6 a.m. hockey practices, figure skating competitions and soccer," says his obituary. "He also coached his daughter’s soccer team for many years, leading many rep teams to championship seasons, including the women’s Barrie Spirit soccer team, and earning the York Regional Soccer League’s Steinhorst Cup in 2010 in his last year of coaching.
"Many of his former players describe him as having an integral role in their lives, including in their formative years, and cherish the role he played in their lives both on and off the field," the obituary states.
Richards moved to Barrie in 1991 after working across central and southern Ontario. He worked 50 years in the broadcasting industry and spent more than 30 years at Rock 95.
His first on-air gig was at the tender age of 16, when he had his first radio show and played tracks for the CFB Trenton community. He would soon attend Loyalist College in Belleville to study broadcasting.
Richards held various radio positions in Burlington with FM 108, in Stratford with CJCS, in Guelph with CJOY, in Newmarket with CKAN and then in Barrie with Rock 95.
In addition to being a radio broadcaster, Richards also worked in sales at the former Barrie Examiner newspaper when he first arrived in the city in 1991.
Also in 1991, Richards joined Rock 95 as a radio-show host and, for the last 30 years, filled the airwaves in central Ontario. He hosted the morning show and for many years, until his medical leave, also hosted an afternoon show.
“We are so saddened by the loss of Randy,” Dave Carr, vice-president and general manager of Central Ontario Broadcasting, the parent company of Rock 95, told BarrieToday. “He was indeed the hardest-working man in radio, and did it all with passion and positivity.”
Carr described his friend and colleague as “wonderfully approachable with listeners, and fellow co-workers."
“Everyone loved Randy," he said. "We’ve missed his contagious energy at the radio station while he battled this illness, and we’ll miss him always. I’m very saddened by the loss of one of the greatest. An amazing friend. A true rock star on the air and in the hallways.”
Richards also supported local talent in many ways, including offering advice, making connections for musicians within the industry, and funding scholarship awards through the Barrie Kiwanis Music Festival. He also spent many years as a judge in the Barrie Local and Loud competitions.
"Randy was a wealth of positivity and was the type of person who loved to meet people and left a lasting impression," says his obituary. "He could always get you laughing whether on the air or in person and will be dearly missed by his friends and family."
He was a member of Collier Street United Church where he also spent time helping with the PA system for church services, was a contributor to the charitable group Guys That Give, and supported many other local programs.
Rock 95 is holding a day-long tribute to Richards today over its airwaves, including friends and colleagues sharing their personal stories.
Visitation will be held at Steckley-Gooderham Funeral Home, located in Barrie at 30 Worsley St., tonight (Sept. 18) from 7-9 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. until the time of service in the chapel at 11 a.m. Interment will take place at Barrie Union Cemetery.
