John Quincy Mahaffey,77, died early Friday morning, April 22, at Our Lady Of The Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge, LA, following surgery. John was born in Texarkana, Arkansas in 1938 to newspaper journalist parents, Ruth and J.Q. Mahaffey. Michael Meagher hospital happened to be on the Arkansas side of the state line; John's childhood was in Texas.
World War II loomed large in his boyhood, and he maintained an interest in its history all his life. He was said to have inherited his Uncle Burton Mahaffey's story telling abilities that made him a popular guy early on. As a tall Texan and sports enthusiast, he regretted inheriting his father's small hands better suited to the typewriter than palming a football.
Even before graduating from Texas High School, he exhibited a fascination with the new media--television, working part time as a cameraman for KCMC, his town's first station. After high school, he briefly attended North Texas State University before transferring to the University of Texas in Austin where he graduated in journalism working part time for Austin's only television station, KTBC owned by Ladybird and Lyndon Johnson. His initial full time broadcasting jobs took him first to Corpus Christi's station KRIS. Next, he anchored the news at KFDA in Amarillo, TX before returning to Corpus as KRIS's news director. In 1970 John came to Baton Rouge, the place he called home for the remainder of his life. He anchored the news at WAFB before going to WBRZ in 1977 where he remained until his retirement in 1998.
His popular run as a broadcaster for twenty years at WBRZ was marked by a unique intimacy with viewers. He claimed that he always went on air pretending that he was reading the news to just one person. He was a much in demand emcee in Baton Rouge and participated in numerous charity benefits. President Ronald Reagan honored him at the White House in the mid eighties for WBRZ's creative use of television to promote job opportunities in the community.
Apart from his professional success, he was a generous friend to people from all walks of life. He had a heart for dogs, underdogs, and he never met a stranger.
He is survived by his daughter Merilee Wilhelm, also of Baton Rouge, his sister Prudence Mackintosh of Dallas, three nephews, Jack, Drew and William Mackintosh of Austin and two former wives, Nancy McDonald Redmond and Diana Tucker with whom he maintained cordial relationships. He is also survived by a host of news business colleagues and friends (especially his high school class of 1956) whom he regarded as extended family.
His memorial service will be held Saturday, April 30 at noon at Green Oaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA. 70815 followed by a reception. Visitation is from 11:00 A.M. - 12:00. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the charity of your choice.
Arrangements under the direction of Greenoaks Funeral Home, Baton Rouge, LA.
World War II loomed large in his boyhood, and he maintained an interest in its history all his life. He was said to have inherited his Uncle Burton Mahaffey's story telling abilities that made him a popular guy early on. As a tall Texan and sports enthusiast, he regretted inheriting his father's small hands better suited to the typewriter than palming a football.
Even before graduating from Texas High School, he exhibited a fascination with the new media--television, working part time as a cameraman for KCMC, his town's first station. After high school, he briefly attended North Texas State University before transferring to the University of Texas in Austin where he graduated in journalism working part time for Austin's only television station, KTBC owned by Ladybird and Lyndon Johnson. His initial full time broadcasting jobs took him first to Corpus Christi's station KRIS. Next, he anchored the news at KFDA in Amarillo, TX before returning to Corpus as KRIS's news director. In 1970 John came to Baton Rouge, the place he called home for the remainder of his life. He anchored the news at WAFB before going to WBRZ in 1977 where he remained until his retirement in 1998.
His popular run as a broadcaster for twenty years at WBRZ was marked by a unique intimacy with viewers. He claimed that he always went on air pretending that he was reading the news to just one person. He was a much in demand emcee in Baton Rouge and participated in numerous charity benefits. President Ronald Reagan honored him at the White House in the mid eighties for WBRZ's creative use of television to promote job opportunities in the community.
Apart from his professional success, he was a generous friend to people from all walks of life. He had a heart for dogs, underdogs, and he never met a stranger.
He is survived by his daughter Merilee Wilhelm, also of Baton Rouge, his sister Prudence Mackintosh of Dallas, three nephews, Jack, Drew and William Mackintosh of Austin and two former wives, Nancy McDonald Redmond and Diana Tucker with whom he maintained cordial relationships. He is also survived by a host of news business colleagues and friends (especially his high school class of 1956) whom he regarded as extended family.
His memorial service will be held Saturday, April 30 at noon at Green Oaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA. 70815 followed by a reception. Visitation is from 11:00 A.M. - 12:00. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the charity of your choice.
Arrangements under the direction of Greenoaks Funeral Home, Baton Rouge, LA.
John Quincy Mahaffey,77, died early Friday morning, April 22, at Our Lady Of The Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge, LA, following surgery. John was born in Texarkana, Arkansas in 1938 to newspaper journalist parents, Ruth and J.Q. Mahaffey. Michael Meagher hospital happened to be on the Arkansas side of the state line; John's childhood was in Texas.
World War II loomed large in his boyhood, and he maintained an interest in its history all his life. He was said to have inherited his Uncle Burton Mahaffey's story telling abilities that made him a popular guy early on. As a tall Texan and sports enthusiast, he regretted inheriting his father's small hands better suited to the typewriter than palming a football.
Even before graduating from Texas High School, he exhibited a fascination with the new media--television, working part time as a cameraman for KCMC, his town's first station. After high school, he briefly attended North Texas State University before transferring to the University of Texas in Austin where he graduated in journalism working part time for Austin's only television station, KTBC owned by Ladybird and Lyndon Johnson. His initial full time broadcasting jobs took him first to Corpus Christi's station KRIS. Next, he anchored the news at KFDA in Amarillo, TX before returning to Corpus as KRIS's news director. In 1970 John came to Baton Rouge, the place he called home for the remainder of his life. He anchored the news at WAFB before going to WBRZ in 1977 where he remained until his retirement in 1998.
His popular run as a broadcaster for twenty years at WBRZ was marked by a unique intimacy with viewers. He claimed that he always went on air pretending that he was reading the news to just one person. He was a much in demand emcee in Baton Rouge and participated in numerous charity benefits. President Ronald Reagan honored him at the White House in the mid eighties for WBRZ's creative use of television to promote job opportunities in the community.
Apart from his professional success, he was a generous friend to people from all walks of life. He had a heart for dogs, underdogs, and he never met a stranger.
He is survived by his daughter Merilee Wilhelm, also of Baton Rouge, his sister Prudence Mackintosh of Dallas, three nephews, Jack, Drew and William Mackintosh of Austin and two former wives, Nancy McDonald Redmond and Diana Tucker with whom he maintained cordial relationships. He is also survived by a host of news business colleagues and friends (especially his high school class of 1956) whom he regarded as extended family.
His memorial service will be held Saturday, April 30 at noon at Green Oaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA. 70815 followed by a reception. Visitation is from 11:00 A.M. - 12:00. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the charity of your choice.
Arrangements under the direction of Greenoaks Funeral Home, Baton Rouge, LA.
World War II loomed large in his boyhood, and he maintained an interest in its history all his life. He was said to have inherited his Uncle Burton Mahaffey's story telling abilities that made him a popular guy early on. As a tall Texan and sports enthusiast, he regretted inheriting his father's small hands better suited to the typewriter than palming a football.
Even before graduating from Texas High School, he exhibited a fascination with the new media--television, working part time as a cameraman for KCMC, his town's first station. After high school, he briefly attended North Texas State University before transferring to the University of Texas in Austin where he graduated in journalism working part time for Austin's only television station, KTBC owned by Ladybird and Lyndon Johnson. His initial full time broadcasting jobs took him first to Corpus Christi's station KRIS. Next, he anchored the news at KFDA in Amarillo, TX before returning to Corpus as KRIS's news director. In 1970 John came to Baton Rouge, the place he called home for the remainder of his life. He anchored the news at WAFB before going to WBRZ in 1977 where he remained until his retirement in 1998.
His popular run as a broadcaster for twenty years at WBRZ was marked by a unique intimacy with viewers. He claimed that he always went on air pretending that he was reading the news to just one person. He was a much in demand emcee in Baton Rouge and participated in numerous charity benefits. President Ronald Reagan honored him at the White House in the mid eighties for WBRZ's creative use of television to promote job opportunities in the community.
Apart from his professional success, he was a generous friend to people from all walks of life. He had a heart for dogs, underdogs, and he never met a stranger.
He is survived by his daughter Merilee Wilhelm, also of Baton Rouge, his sister Prudence Mackintosh of Dallas, three nephews, Jack, Drew and William Mackintosh of Austin and two former wives, Nancy McDonald Redmond and Diana Tucker with whom he maintained cordial relationships. He is also survived by a host of news business colleagues and friends (especially his high school class of 1956) whom he regarded as extended family.
His memorial service will be held Saturday, April 30 at noon at Green Oaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA. 70815 followed by a reception. Visitation is from 11:00 A.M. - 12:00. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the charity of your choice.
Arrangements under the direction of Greenoaks Funeral Home, Baton Rouge, LA.
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