Dateline:   January 02, 2009 ...  Gaffney, South Carolina

Contact Name: K. Joe Sessoms –  Publicity Chairman -  publicity@shrine-bowl.com

SBOC Contact Phone:800-648-2695  or 1-803-547-0300
 Fax: 803-547-9545
Web Address: www.shrine-bowl.com
Multi Media Site www.theshrinebowl.com

Well-known radio personality Ron Owenby of Gaffney died Thursday, Jan 1^st.

A long-time radio broadcaster and civic leader, Owenby was the voice of the Cherokee County community for 42 years on WAGI-FM and WEAC.  He was President and General Manager of Gaffney Broadcasting until the station was sold to the Davidson Media Group, one of the largest multicultural radio groups in America.

Owenby was one of the initial supporters of Limestone College athletics and helped to organize the men's basketball team and served as first president of the Saints Club. He is best known as one of the hosts of the radio show "Carolina in the Morning." 

Owenby was president of the Cherokee County Arts Council and a member of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce and Gaffney Rotary Club. He has also been president of the South Carolina Jaycees, served on the Red Cross Board, the Bi-Centennial Board and the Cherokee County Development Board.   He was recently given the Cherokee County President's Award for Outstanding Service to the Chamber and Community.

The AM station at the 1500 frequency has been on the air since 1962.
WAGI 105.3 has been operating since 1971. 

"The first of June I'll have been there for 42 years. It's like losing a member of your family," Owenby said after learning the station has been sold last year. "I hate it happened this way. It would have been nice to let the folks know ahead of time, but that's the way it happened."     Owenby also was the play-by-play announcer for Gaffney High football for many years. He was married to Sybil Owenby and had  two daughters.  (Re-printed with permission of the Gaffney Ledger) 

Earlier today, Billy Benfield, Chairman of the Shrine Bowl Board of Governors and Connie Altman, General Game Chairman said “Owenby had worked with the Shrine Bowl of the Carolina’s for many years, dating back to 1981 where he served as the side line reporter on the Shrine Bowl Radio Network.”   Altman added “Ron was very instrumental in working out an agreement in 2004 whereby WAGI-FM of Gaffney would produce, market, and deliver the Shrine Bowl Game Day broadcast each December.” 

Since the station sold, Dennis Fowler managing director and producer of FCS Sports and Fabian Fuentes has continued the marketing, producing and delivering of each year’s Game Day broadcasts to the many stations in North and South Carolina.

Billy Benfield added, “Ron will be deeply missed.   His loyal service and dedication to the Shrine Hospitals for the Burns and Crippled Children is so very much appreciated.”    

Funeral Services for Ron Owenby will be held at 2PM, Sunday at the Park Hills Baptist Church of Gaffney.

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