It is with deep sadness that we send our condolences to the family and friends of Bob Speer. His many years of kindness, generosity & support of community radio will not be forgotten.
"Bob Speer was kind and generous and extremely talented—a creative designer and a master craftsman. People, in our community, point out his handiwork in their homes and tell you with pride, “Bob Speer did this.” And on every job, it’s guaranteed that Bob’s beat up jobsite radio was always tuned to 90.1 FM. Bob loved KZFR. He was an avid listener and a consistent supporter who never missed a pledge drive. He donated his time and talent designing and building (with the help of his pal Walter Mahoney) our broadcast and production studios, the station ops office and the break and mail rooms that make up Suite 416. Bob ensured that his love and support for KZFR would continue. In his will, he left a generous endowment to his beloved Zephyr. Thank you Bob Speer, you leave the world a better place." - Steve Scarborough, KZFR programmer, cohost of It's Just Jazz & multiple committee member over the years.
His wife Bobbi Tryon (long term KZFR programmer & multiple committee member) has our heartfelt, sincere condolences.
"Bob was a fantastic member of both the KZFR and Chico communities. I greatly appreciated his hard work and craftsmanship on the "new" studio, a wonderful environment for live and recorded music as well as multi-person interviews. He was also knowledgeable about community (and beyond) issues and an engaging conversationalist. His passing is a great loss for us all." - Steve Tchudi, KZFR programmer, cohost of Ecotopia & host of Swing City
"Bob was one of the nicest persons I have ever met. He was always helping others. His love of music was infectious. He will be missed!" - Anna Kastner, KZFR programmer, cohost of Native Song
"Bob will be greatly missed by the whole Community. He did so much for others and was always a great encouragement to myself and my show of Women Artists. He did a wonderful job on our studio and I sure do miss seeing those beautiful shelves he build for our CD's at KZFR. We all are holding Bobbi up at her lost of her life partner." - Terre Reynolds, KZFR programmer, host of Face The Music
"Bob first impressed me with his building skills more than 30 years ago when he did this very significant remodel for friends up in Magalia I was just impressed with his detail and the very conscious manner he brought to his work. and then of course his generosity and his willingness to spend so much time in constructing the Bob Speer studio here at KZFR. I appreciate Bob taking the time to call a number of radio shows not only to make a donation, but just to give his appreciation for the music the people were playing and their commitment to the station. I also admired Bob’s quiet, mellow persona. He was a very sweet man and it was a pleasure to be in his company." Tom "Big T" Gagne, KZFR programmer, cohost of One World Music
"We are all deeply appreciative of Bob Speer for building our current studio space, a marked improvement over the former space--narrow, cramped, and small. It's contributions from folks like Bob that keep The Zephyr running! Many thanks, Bob!" - Rob Davidson, KZFR programmer, host of Sunday Papers & former BOD President
"Oh Bob Speer! We will miss you! Bob has always been a fixer, and a fixture - a fixture at Saturday market, a fixture in the Barber, a fixture at KZFR. And of course such a capable fixer of things. For me personally he was always very supportive of the work that Gerard and I did with the Respectful Revolution Project - he just totally got, and appreciated, what we were trying to do. He was observant. A real thinker. So supportive of Bobbi. I have a cherished "love note" from Bob that I've kept all these years. It reads: "Thanks again, folks. Don't forget you are the people you're searching for." I mean, that is just Bob. Generous of time, heart and spirit. I'm glad I got to know him." - Stacey Wear, former Office Manager & former Music Director
If you would like, you can leave a note of sympathy for Bob's family on his obituary.
*photo by Karen Laslo
