Condolences: Glenn Haege, Kevin Schenk
• Glenn Haege, “America’s Master Handyman,” and the host of The Handyman Show on Detroit radio for the past 34 years, died yesterday morning after a short battle with cancer. He was 70 years old.
Haege started his broadcast career on WXYT-AM/Detroit in 1983, and for the past 11 years his show was heard on weekends on Cumulus News-Talk 760 WJR-AM and nationally syndicated in 135 radio markets. It is estimated that Haege had answered more than 85,000 home improvement questions during his time on the air. For 22 years he was also a Detroit News columnist, writing a weekly feature on home improvement. He also authored 11 books on the subject. Haege was inducted into the Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2011.
As Art Vuolo remarked, “When Glenn’s longtime friend and business partner Rob David was inducted into the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame about 2 1/2 weeks ago, many of us wondered why he was not present. Sadly, now we know…”
Haege is survived by his wife, Barbara, their children, Eric and Heather and six grandchildren. He also leaves behind his mother, Marion, sister, Sharon and brother, Robert. Funeral arrangements are pending.
• We are also saddened to report the untimely passing of Kevin Schenk, afternoon news reporter/anchor on iHeartMedia’s WSYR (NewsRadio 570)/Syracuse, NY, who died Friday, Sept. 8 after suffering a ruptured aortic aneurysm Thursday. He was only 54 years old.
In a statement posted on the WSYR website, iHeartMedia Syracuse Market President Rick Yacobush said, “Kevin was an outstanding journalist who loved to dig for a story and was always fair in his reporting. As a coworker, Kevin was always there with his quick wit to put a smile on your face and he was a truly wonderful man. He will be greatly missed, by not just our colleagues, but by the listeners who depended on him every afternoon.”
Schenk, who was also a former anchor and producer for WSTM-TV is survived by his wife Lori, his sons Christopher and Michael, his daughter-in-law Mary, and several grandchildren, whom he loved immensely.
