Hearst Broadcasting’s WBAL-AM legend Ron Smith succumbed to cancer 12/19 at 70 years of age. He died at his home in Shrewsbury, PA, surrounded by his wife, June, and the rest of his family. He was at home in hospice since late November. He is survived by his wife, five children and seven grandchildren. Funeral services will be private. A public memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.
The long-time Baltimore mid-morning man first announced the news of his stage 4 pancreatic cancer 10/17. Smith, who has been there since 1984, originally said he planned to stay on at the station as he sought treatment. Not long after he stopped chemo treatments he has also decided to retire from the show. He told listeners 11/28 that he’s stepping down from his radio show effective immediately. He’s currently at hospice at home.
Ron had been a fixture on WBAL Radio and Television for nearly 40 years. Ron began his broadcasting career in Albany and arrived in Baltimore in 1973 as a reporter and anchor for WBAL-TV. He anchored television newscasts as part of WBAL-TV’s old “Action News” team between 1973 and 1980. Then, after a brief break from broadcasting to work as a stockbroker, Smith returned to WBAL-AM in 1984 as a talker.
