No: 49
Date: 5/1/1992
Name: Walt Kavanagh
Kavanagh had been a familiar voice to KFAB listeners for 40 years as a radio newscaster when he retired in 1991 at the age of 68. An Omaha native and Creighton University graduate, he began his career in broadcasting at KFIB in Marshalltown, Iowa, in 1947. He then worked for KOWH in Omaha in 1950 for more than two years before joining KFAB. He became part of the morning team in 1955 and was named news director in 1959, the position he held when retiring, becoming an institution in Omaha radio. He was a morning team with Don Cole and Kent Pavelka for 15 years. Upon retiring, Kavanagh told friends he was looking forward to sleeping later than 4 a.m., something he hadn't done for more than three decades. In 1992, he received a lifetime achievement award from the University of Nebraska at Omaha's Department of Communications. Kavanagh was inducted into the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 1993. He died in 1998. Back to Top