Retired KCTS-9 Supervisor Charlie Burrell passes on

Charlie Burrell. Photo: Courtesy of Diane Burrell & Seattle Times

Annie Aguiar in today’s Seattle Times notes the passing of 30 year KCTS-9 veteran Charlie Burrell who served as the public station’s Broadcast Operations Supervisor & was well-known & respected by his colleagues for playing by the rules, standing up for the union workers at the station, and striving to create equal opportunities for his employees.  He is especially remembered for his sense of humour.  Charlie died  at age 78 on April 11 from complications related to the coronavirus, after being hospitalized for nine days.  He served in the Army in Korea starting in 1965 before beginning work at KCTS-TV in the late 1960’s.  At Channel 9, Burrell managed the engineering side of the station & was promoted into a supervisory position in 1978.  He left KCTS-TV in the early 1990’s & worked outside the broadcasting industry from that point on.  Charlie loved sports & was an avid music collector, owning thousands of vinyl records, cassette tapes and CDs. He loved gospel and soul music, with The Isley Brothers and Bobby Womack as particular favorites.  Charlie Burrell is survived by his wife Diane, two daughters, two sisters & a brother.  Diane plans to postpone a memorial for her husband until next spring, when she hopes it will be safe for a proper service and a graveside 21-gun salute. She said she has received thousands of cards, flowers and phone calls since his death and stated to the Times: “He was very well loved.”

Mike Cherry

retired broadcaster: on-air, MD, PD, asst PD, Prod Mgr, IT, station technician/engineer, pioneer Internet webcaster, station installation/maintenance; 12 years in commercial radio, 17 years volunteer in campus/community radio in B.C., Alberta & Wash. Amateur radio operator & “DXer” specializing in AM night-time DX, short-wave DX/listening & remote SDR DXing/listening