William Bennett Kilpack (February 6, 1883 – August 17, 1962)

Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons was one of radio’s longest running shows,
airing October 12, 1937 to April 19, 1955, continuing well into the television
era. It was produced by Frank and Anne Hummert, who based it upon Robert
W. Chambers‘ 1906 novel The Tracer of Lost Persons. The sponsors included
Whitehall Pharmacal (makers of Anacin), Dentyne, Aerowax, RCA Victor and
Chesterfield cigarettes. It aired on the NBC Blue network until 1947, when it
switched to CBS.

Bennett Kilpack (above) began as Mr. Keen in 1937 with Arthur Hughes and
then Phil Clarke stepping into the role later in the series.

Neil W. Heesacker (November 30, 1940 – October 9, 2016)

PORTLAND, Ore. – Neil Heesacker, former spokesman for Portland
Fire & Rescue for 30 years, died over the weekend while fighting
pancreatic cancer. The Forest Grove native worked for a total of 37
years in fire service. He retired in 2004.

The Columbus Day Storm system brought strong winds to the Pacific Northwest
and southwest Canada. It was linked to 46 fatalities in the northwest and
Northern California resulting from heavy rains and mudslides.

Radio and TV broadcasting was affected in the Portland, Oregon area with
downed transmission towers and loss of equipment.

The entire power distribution system had to be rebuilt from the ground up
in much of the area. Some locations did not have power restored for several
weeks.

The Oregon Capitol grounds at Salem, and the state’s college campuses,
resembled battlefields with heavy losses of trees.

TIM MAGUIRE

Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.
(December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997)

Home video clip of John Denver’s last public performance, Oct 5 1997.