WTAE Obituaries
Neal Spence
Neal F Spence - Former WTAE Radio Traffis Reporter / Personality
Novermber 27, 1944 - May 25, 2023
Neal F. Spence of Homosassa, Florida, died May 25, 2023, at the age of 78 years. He was born November 27, 1944, in Pittsburgh, PA. He graduated from Baldwin High School. He was an Air Force veteran and served in Vietnam. For 19 years he was WTAE's "eye-in-the-sky" traffic reporter. He will be sorely missed by all those who knew him.
He is survived by his wife, Janice D. Spence; his daughter, Heather Marie (Martik); son, Neal W. Spence; stepson, Michael M. Strano and wife Melissa; and his granddaughter, Morgan Isabella Strano.t
Kathy Kerestes
Kathy Jane Kerestes - Former WTAE Radio News Personality
May 19, 1954 - May 23, 2015
Kathy Kerestes, former WTAE radio news personality died Saturday, May 23, 2015, in UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. Born in Monongahela on May 19, 1954, she was the daughter of the late Michael T. and Barbara C. (Ulakovic) Kerestes. A graduate of Point Park College, Kathy began her career at WESA Radio in Charleroi. She then became the morning news anchor at WTAE Radio for the O'Brien and Garry Show where she was "The Voice of Pittsburgh" for 12 years and was also a weekend reporter for WTAE-TV. She left WTAE and became Director of Media and Community Relations at Carlow College where she developed the prestigious "Women of Spirit" program. She served on many boards and committees, including Alice Paul House, POWER and the CLO and her honors include Pennsylvania Press Award, National Associated Press Award, Carlow College President's Award for Excellence and recognition as One of Pittsburgh's 50 Finest.
Don Berns
Don Berns - Former WTAE Afternoon Personality
April 18, 1947 - March 1, 2015
Don Berns, former WTAE afternoon personality passed away on March 1, 2015 at his home in Toronto. He grew up in Hartford and attended Brown University. He was involved with the college station, WBRU-FM. He worked at stations in Providence, R.I., Hartford and Albany before he came to WKBW radio in 1970. After nearly four years at KB, he went to album rock station WPHD-FM. He stayed at WPHD and its sister station, WYSL-AM, through 1975, then went to KLIF in Dallas. After stints in San Diego; Kansas City, Mo. he joined WTAE in 1977, he moved to Toronto, where he became a mainstay on the city's alternative rock station, CFNY-FM. Don went on to work at smaller stations in Toronto in the 1990s and became a highly successful techno deejay. He was known as Dr. Trance and was famous on the Toronto rave scene. He also was the network voice for Global Television for many years, was the voice of TSN sports and was much sought-after for freelance voice work. Don was prominant as an actor in Toronto theater. 
Lynn Hinds
Lynn Hinds - Former WTAE Radio and TV Talk Show Host
December 22, 1934 - April 5, 2014
Lynn Hinds, former WTAE Radio talk show host and WTAE co-host of AM Pittsburgh passed away on April 5, 2014 at his home in Fredericksburg, Va. His Pittsburgh radio career started at KQV. He was the author of Broadcasting the Local News: The Early Years of KDKA, and The Cold War As Rhetoric: The Beginnings, 1945-1950. He served on the faculty of Princeton Theological Seminary and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Duquesne University, Penn State University, West Virginia University and retired as Professor Emeritus from Drury University in Springfield, MO. He retired in May, 2005.
Tom Lyons
Tom Lyons - Former WTAE All Night Man
March 11, 1934 - October 16, 2011
Tom Lyons, former all night man on the Big 1250 passed away on Sunday October 16, 2011 at Grove City Medical Center. Tom was a perfect fit for Pittsburgh's late night audience.

Tom Schrecengost Sr , was a former KQV, WTAE, WEDO, WPNT personality . Tom was best know for his time at KQV as Tom Lee and at WTAE as Tom Lyons. Tom retired from radio in 1996 after a career that took him Kittaning to Erie to Connecticut to Pittsburgh and California and Arizona. Tom was 77.
Myron Cope


Flash Audio
 On June 20, 2005, Myron Cope retired after 35 years as color commentator for the Pittsburgh Steelers Radio Network.

On August 6, 2005 Myron was honored by being at a dinner at Canton, Ohio, with the Pete Rozelle Award, given annually on the eve of the Hall of Fame induction ceremony for long-term exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.

On November  5, 2005 Myron was also be honored with induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Congratulations Myron. Thanks for bringing such greatness and dedication to Pittsburgh throughout your award winning career. Mazel Tov Myron.
Click on speaker or player to the left to hear Myron's Induction Ceremony into Radio Hall of Fame.

On February 27, 2008 Myron Cope passed away at the age of 79. Read more on Myron here .
Patricia Bertalantis
Former executive secretary and adminstrative assistant at WTAE Radio  Patricia Bertalanits passed away on Thursday January 12, 2006 after a yearlong battle with cancer. Miss Bertalanits worked at WTAE for more than four decades. More details are available in the obituary at the Post Gazette website.
Paul Long
 On July 12, 2002, long time Pittsburgh Broadcaster Paul Long died at the age of 86 from congestive heart failure. Paul was considered by many to be the dean of Pittsburgh newscasters. Paul Long started in Pittsburgh radio on KDKA in 1946. Most Pittsburghers will remember Paul for his many years on WTAE-TV Channel 4 co-anchoring with Action News with Don Cannon and Joe DeNardo. Long also did the 5 o'clock news on WTAE Radio for a number of years in the 1980s. Paul Long retired December 30, 1994. Long's survivors include his wife, Elaine. Click on Paul's picture for more details and coverage from WTAE-TV including interviews with Don Cannon, Lynn Cullen, Eleanor Shano and Joe DeNardo.