Perhaps best known as the primary news anchor for KTUL, Channel 8, in Tulsa, Bob Hower got his start in television in 1949 at KOTV, Channel 6, which was Tulsa's first television station. Bob was their first chief announcer and Tulsa's first television "anchorman." After a year at KOTV, Bob was recalled to the Air Force to fly the Korean Air Lift. He returned to television in 1953 at KFBM-TV, Channel 8, in San Diego, California, where he worked for 14 years with people such as Regis Philbin and Raquel Welch. In 1966,Bob joined WBKB (now WLS-TV), Channel 7 in Chicago, working with Tulsan Paul Harvey, before coming home to KTUL, Channel 8 in 1969.
While anchoring the newscasts at Channel 8, Bob created "A Waiting Child," an adoption series which he produced, directed and hosted for six years before a voice problem forced his retirement in 1986. At that time, the series was credited with helping place 406 special needs children with permanent parents. The series continues, and is now credited with helping to find loving homes for more than 4,000 such children! Bob wrote the lyrics for the signature "Waiting Child" song, and is grateful to Oleta Adams for singing it so beautifully.
In 1998, Bob used his grandfather's collection of original riot material to publish "The 1921 Tulsa Race Riot - Angels of Mercy," the only fully documented, first-person account of America's deadliest race riot.
Bob graduated with Tulsa Central High's Class of 1942 (Alumni Hall of Fame). He completed his freshman year at the University of Oklahoma before enlisting in the U.S. Air Corps, serving as a B-17 pilot in WW2. After the war, he used the G.I. Bill to attend Oklahoma A & M in Stillwater (OSU), Colorado A & M in Ft. Collins (Colorado State), and the University of Tulsa, graduating with a B.A. degree in 1949 … the year he began his 35-year television career.
Bob was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 20, 1924. His maternal grandfather, Maurice Willows, had been sent to Tulsa to direct the American Red Cross efforts to relief victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. Willows' daughter, Maurine, met and married Forrest Hower and Bob was their first child.
He was a long-time anchor for KTUL starting in 1970. He started the segment "Waiting Child" in 1980, which features children up for adoption looking for a forever family.
His daughter Pamela says Hower died early Saturday morning surrounded by family. "He made his transition totally in peace and both JD and I were blessed to be with him and guide him to the white light and the crowd that was waiting to welcome him, especially his little girl, Stacey," Pamela says.
"He was telling me yesterday that he needed to go 'home'," Pamela says.
"Please keep in your heart and say a prayer for him and raise a glass to his new heavenly journey," Pamela says.
The family is taking time before planning a memorial service.
He was 87 years old.
While anchoring the newscasts at Channel 8, Bob created "A Waiting Child," an adoption series which he produced, directed and hosted for six years before a voice problem forced his retirement in 1986. At that time, the series was credited with helping place 406 special needs children with permanent parents. The series continues, and is now credited with helping to find loving homes for more than 4,000 such children! Bob wrote the lyrics for the signature "Waiting Child" song, and is grateful to Oleta Adams for singing it so beautifully.
In 1998, Bob used his grandfather's collection of original riot material to publish "The 1921 Tulsa Race Riot - Angels of Mercy," the only fully documented, first-person account of America's deadliest race riot.
Bob graduated with Tulsa Central High's Class of 1942 (Alumni Hall of Fame). He completed his freshman year at the University of Oklahoma before enlisting in the U.S. Air Corps, serving as a B-17 pilot in WW2. After the war, he used the G.I. Bill to attend Oklahoma A & M in Stillwater (OSU), Colorado A & M in Ft. Collins (Colorado State), and the University of Tulsa, graduating with a B.A. degree in 1949 … the year he began his 35-year television career.
Bob was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 20, 1924. His maternal grandfather, Maurice Willows, had been sent to Tulsa to direct the American Red Cross efforts to relief victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. Willows' daughter, Maurine, met and married Forrest Hower and Bob was their first child.
He was a long-time anchor for KTUL starting in 1970. He started the segment "Waiting Child" in 1980, which features children up for adoption looking for a forever family.
His daughter Pamela says Hower died early Saturday morning surrounded by family. "He made his transition totally in peace and both JD and I were blessed to be with him and guide him to the white light and the crowd that was waiting to welcome him, especially his little girl, Stacey," Pamela says.
"He was telling me yesterday that he needed to go 'home'," Pamela says.
"Please keep in your heart and say a prayer for him and raise a glass to his new heavenly journey," Pamela says.
The family is taking time before planning a memorial service.
He was 87 years old.
Perhaps best known as the primary news anchor for KTUL, Channel 8, in Tulsa, Bob Hower got his start in television in 1949 at KOTV, Channel 6, which was Tulsa's first television station. Bob was their first chief announcer and Tulsa's first television "anchorman." After a year at KOTV, Bob was recalled to the Air Force to fly the Korean Air Lift. He returned to television in 1953 at KFBM-TV, Channel 8, in San Diego, California, where he worked for 14 years with people such as Regis Philbin and Raquel Welch. In 1966,Bob joined WBKB (now WLS-TV), Channel 7 in Chicago, working with Tulsan Paul Harvey, before coming home to KTUL, Channel 8 in 1969.
While anchoring the newscasts at Channel 8, Bob created "A Waiting Child," an adoption series which he produced, directed and hosted for six years before a voice problem forced his retirement in 1986. At that time, the series was credited with helping place 406 special needs children with permanent parents. The series continues, and is now credited with helping to find loving homes for more than 4,000 such children! Bob wrote the lyrics for the signature "Waiting Child" song, and is grateful to Oleta Adams for singing it so beautifully.
In 1998, Bob used his grandfather's collection of original riot material to publish "The 1921 Tulsa Race Riot - Angels of Mercy," the only fully documented, first-person account of America's deadliest race riot.
Bob graduated with Tulsa Central High's Class of 1942 (Alumni Hall of Fame). He completed his freshman year at the University of Oklahoma before enlisting in the U.S. Air Corps, serving as a B-17 pilot in WW2. After the war, he used the G.I. Bill to attend Oklahoma A & M in Stillwater (OSU), Colorado A & M in Ft. Collins (Colorado State), and the University of Tulsa, graduating with a B.A. degree in 1949 … the year he began his 35-year television career.
Bob was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 20, 1924. His maternal grandfather, Maurice Willows, had been sent to Tulsa to direct the American Red Cross efforts to relief victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. Willows' daughter, Maurine, met and married Forrest Hower and Bob was their first child.
He was a long-time anchor for KTUL starting in 1970. He started the segment "Waiting Child" in 1980, which features children up for adoption looking for a forever family.
His daughter Pamela says Hower died early Saturday morning surrounded by family. "He made his transition totally in peace and both JD and I were blessed to be with him and guide him to the white light and the crowd that was waiting to welcome him, especially his little girl, Stacey," Pamela says.
"He was telling me yesterday that he needed to go 'home'," Pamela says.
"Please keep in your heart and say a prayer for him and raise a glass to his new heavenly journey," Pamela says.
The family is taking time before planning a memorial service.
He was 87 years old.
While anchoring the newscasts at Channel 8, Bob created "A Waiting Child," an adoption series which he produced, directed and hosted for six years before a voice problem forced his retirement in 1986. At that time, the series was credited with helping place 406 special needs children with permanent parents. The series continues, and is now credited with helping to find loving homes for more than 4,000 such children! Bob wrote the lyrics for the signature "Waiting Child" song, and is grateful to Oleta Adams for singing it so beautifully.
In 1998, Bob used his grandfather's collection of original riot material to publish "The 1921 Tulsa Race Riot - Angels of Mercy," the only fully documented, first-person account of America's deadliest race riot.
Bob graduated with Tulsa Central High's Class of 1942 (Alumni Hall of Fame). He completed his freshman year at the University of Oklahoma before enlisting in the U.S. Air Corps, serving as a B-17 pilot in WW2. After the war, he used the G.I. Bill to attend Oklahoma A & M in Stillwater (OSU), Colorado A & M in Ft. Collins (Colorado State), and the University of Tulsa, graduating with a B.A. degree in 1949 … the year he began his 35-year television career.
Bob was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 20, 1924. His maternal grandfather, Maurice Willows, had been sent to Tulsa to direct the American Red Cross efforts to relief victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. Willows' daughter, Maurine, met and married Forrest Hower and Bob was their first child.
He was a long-time anchor for KTUL starting in 1970. He started the segment "Waiting Child" in 1980, which features children up for adoption looking for a forever family.
His daughter Pamela says Hower died early Saturday morning surrounded by family. "He made his transition totally in peace and both JD and I were blessed to be with him and guide him to the white light and the crowd that was waiting to welcome him, especially his little girl, Stacey," Pamela says.
"He was telling me yesterday that he needed to go 'home'," Pamela says.
"Please keep in your heart and say a prayer for him and raise a glass to his new heavenly journey," Pamela says.
The family is taking time before planning a memorial service.
He was 87 years old.
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