Advertising, Marketing & PR  February 4, 2021

Voice of Greeley dies; observation of life tonight

GREELEY — Longtime “voice of Greeley” Joe Tennessen has died. The KFKA, 1310 AM, radio personality will be buried after an observance at Adamson Life Celebration Home today from 5 to 7 p.m. and a private family funeral mass at St. Peter Catholic Church.

Tennessen, 88, was emcee at numerous community events throughout his tenure in Greeley, which began when he joined KFKA as an announcer and later a part owner. He died Feb. 1 at Columbine Commons in Windsor.

Mr. Greeley, as he was known, suffered from dementia, according to a profile of him written by Dan England in the Greeley Tribune in 2018.

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He was born Dec. 19, 1932, in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, but received his first class radio license in Kansas City before attending college in Garden City, Kansas, and working at KIUL in Garden City. 

He was active in numerous community affairs, including those connected with the University of Northern Colorado, the Greeley Rotary Club, St. Peter Catholic Church and others. He was known for an “unabashed rosy view of the world” that was genuine and not an act, according to the England profile.

The Rev. Greg Ames of St. Peter said that Tennessen’s influence extended beyond the public to the personal. “His advice and support taught me a great deal about living in the public eye,” Ames wrote in a memory shared on the funeral-home website.

A Garden City neighbor recalled personal attention this way: “I will remember Joe letting me borrow albums from the radio station …,” said Denise Craig Van Dam.

Colleagues at KFKA remembered him fondly. “I remember how he would do only one take [when recording radio spots],” said Micah Kilpatrick, production director. “He’s the only person I ever allowed to do just one take,” he said.

Tennessen is survived by his wife Joan, seven children, 14 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

Editor’s note: This report was updated to include the comments from Micah Kilpatrick.

 

Ken Amundson
Ken Amundson is managing editor of BizWest. He has lived in Loveland and reported on issues in the region since 1987. Prior to Colorado, he reported and edited for news organizations in Minnesota and Iowa. He's a parent of two and grandparent of four, all of whom make their homes on the Front Range. A news junkie at heart, he also enjoys competitive sports, especially the Rapids.
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