On December 22, 2020, Ed Bremer died peacefully at home in Everett with his loving wife Lucia by his side.
If you're a long-time KSER listener, I probably don't have to tell you much about Ed Bremer.
Ed was hired by the Jack Straw Foundation in October of 1990, several months before KSER went on the air.
He was hired to be the brand new station's Public Affairs Director. But he became so much more than that. He was instrumental in developing and producing programming in our early years when the KSER studios were in High-Point Plaza, a strip mall on highway 99 in Lynnwood.
Later, after the KSER Foundation was formed to take over the station operations from the Jack Straw Foundation, Ed worked tirelessly to oversee the move to downtown Everett and our development as a community owned broadcast facility.For years,
there was only one employee at KSER: Ed Bremer. I'm not sure the station would have survived without his tireless work, enthusiasm and incredible dedication to our community.
I had the great honor of working with Ed for 8 years. "With" being the key word. On the org-chart Ed reported to me. But who Ed really reported to was you, our listeners and our communities.
He had an incredible and unending passion to serve our listeners. He worked tirelessly with volunteers, especially new volunteers, to train them on how any citizen with an important, but often, unrecognized point of view could end up on the radio. He mentored volunteers from the League of Women Voters, the Communities of Color Coalition, Amnesty International and other organizations - groups whose voices were often locked out of commercial broadcasting.
Ed was the conduit working with Pacifica to bring Amy Goodman and Democracy Now to KSER. He paved the way for Thom Hartmann to be added to our lineup.
Day after day, year after year, Ed was here editing programs, producing shows, interviewing guests, running the control board for volunteer hosts, answering the phones during pledge drives, solving technical problems, drinking way too much coffee, and on at least one occasion I witnessed Ed standing on the top of a step ladder in a driving snow storm, in the dark at 4:30 in the morning, using a broom duct-taped to an extension pole to knock the snow off of our satellite dish so that we could broadcast Amy Goodman at 5 a.m.
Dedication.
Until Ed's cancer diagnosis in December of 2019, I had never seen him call in sick or come in late or leave early. I almost had to order him to take vacation time.
One of the things Ed was most excited about was early planning for a 2021 30th anniversary event for KSER. We'll still celebrate our 30th. Ed would insist. But we'll also make it a combination: 30 years for KSER and a celebration of Ed Bremer and the incredible, heroic contributions he made to keep KSER on the air.
You can also expect details soon on a special on-air tribute to Ed Bremer
2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. I know many of you are exhausted by the impact of the pandemic, some of you have lost loved ones to Covid.
But I wanted you to know about Ed's passing. And I hope you'll join me in offering condolences and thanks to Ed's wife Lucia who shared her husband with KSER for three decades and to Ed's five brothers and their families back in Ed's home state of Illinois and in Michigan.
I hope you’ll join all of us here in mourning the passing of Ed Bremer, but also in your continued loyalty to one of his great passions and accomplishments: KSER.
Rest in peace, Ed. You did good and legendary work.
I'm so sad to hear about Ed. I didn't know he was sick. He invited me to give announcements concerning land use and environmental issues in Snohomish County for many, many years and helped me with many candidate forums. He was such a good person supporting my work, and I will miss him.
ReplyDeleteI had the pleasure of working with Ed when we were both starting out in radio in San Diego in the 70's. He was a great reporter and interviewer -- tough but fair, no nonsense, a big heart, a great sense of humor, a love of the people he worked with and reported on. My condolences to his wife and family -- he'll be missed but not forgotten.
ReplyDeleteLike many of us, during my time at KSER (2009-2016), Ed was a fixture at the station. I'm real sorry to read about his passing and I know he will be missed by the entire KSER community. Rest in peace, Ed, and condolences to his loved ones.
ReplyDeleteHe had a real commitment to Public and Community radio throughout his career. It came from his soul. He deeply believed everybody should have a voice. He was loving and giving and funny and he will be deeply missed.
ReplyDeleteLike many others I grew to deeply admire Ed professionally and personally. In addition to working with him during his period at KPBS in San Diego, he was also our neighbor in an even tinier house behind my tiny Craftsman house. His passing is a loss of his caring heart, his loving soul and his ever present humor... and his love of Public Radio. I know he will be missed by all that knew him.
ReplyDeleteMike Stark, San Diego
I’m so sorry to hear about Ed’s passing. To me, he will always be Mr. KSER because without his leadership and vision, the station wouldn’t be what it is today. For that, he will always be someone special to me and will be greatly missed.
ReplyDeleteR.I.P. Ed, you taught me to become a better broadcaster and those lessons will always stay with me.
I worked with Ed for 20 years in a variety of roles -- as a KSER board member, newspaper editor and most recently reporting on air weekly from Whidbey Island. What a friend! What a giant in radio journalism! His wit, his dedication to professional excellence and his concern for truth will surely ride along KSER's radio waves as Ed's loving legacy.
ReplyDelete-- Darrell M. Gray, Whidbey Island
I am so sorry to hear about Ed. It was an honor to join him for the KSER sweepstakes. As I drew names out of the KSER hat, he was a magician on the soundboard. He effortlessly chatted, while creating drum rolls, applause and cheering. He will be missed. My condolences to Lucia, his brothers and the KSER family.
ReplyDeleteI volunteered, off and on over the years, at KSER. Ed was there to help volunteers at a moments notice. I was taping an interview with for broadcast, which never taped due to my limited knowledge at the time. When I realized it, the people had left and I had to go and tell Ed the bad news. A look of dismay, but that was all.
ReplyDeleteI was told when cleaning up to never clean Ed's coffee cup.
He was always welcoming when I would turn up to work at he station.
He will be sorely missed.
I’m so very saddened to hear this.
ReplyDeleteIt was my great privilege to work alongside Ed in furtherance of KSER’s mission to serve Snohomish and Island Counties.
Ed was a dedicated newsman and champion of community radio. A fierce defender of the ideal of public radio as an essential service to democracy, Ed worked tirelessly to see that KSER and KXIR embodied that vision.
I miss his spirited partisanship for radio in the internet age and his droll humor which comforted us in the trenches of nonprofit management and fundraising.
Most of all, I miss his nobility of spirit which inspired me and others to demonstrate the same dedication to high ideals and ethical standards that Ed lived by.
I have lost a great teacher, and we have lost a lion, of community radio.
Bruce Wirth
former KSER General Manager, 2006-2011.
Saddened to learn this morning of Ed Bremer's passing. I first met him at the old storefront station in Lynnwood, when I was doing what favors I could for the station (I'd been a Pacific Broadcasting listener in Southern CA, and later of KRAB-FM in Seattle).Ed's energy, good grace, and calm demeanor were exactly what was needed---and he was great company, in the odd stray moment when he wasn't putting out some logistical brushfire or the other. He was a quiet giant of public-access radio, and I was so lucky to count him as a friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm a listener of KSER and Ed Bremer. I am deeply saddened by the news of Ed's passing and my heart goes out to his family, friends, and co workers. We as a community are fortunate for the body of work Ed has done. I will be forever grateful!
ReplyDeleteJust learned of Ed's passing. Sad to hear. He was a force in community radio. His dedication to KSER and the concept of community radio was palpable. In my every encounter with him I was always impressed by his good cheer and sagacity. He will be missed.
ReplyDelete--
David Barsamian, Director
Alternative Radio
Boulder, CO
Ed was always welcoming and patient with me and I appreciate that greatly.
ReplyDeleteA true local hero!
Keashia Garner
I had the good fortune to meet Ed when he taught a class on community radio - I didn't know anything about it, and he was a great and enthusiastic teacher. Later on, as part of our Summer Arts Workshop in Forest Part, the students of Gene Nastri Community School of the Arts wrote an original mystery radio play under the direction of Betty Armstrong, and then had the privilege of performing it live on community radio. Such were the opportunities under the leadership of Ed Bremer.
ReplyDeleteHe will be sorely missed.
When tuning into KSER when Ed was on, I heard someone passionately dedicated to fairness, understanding, humor, and learning on many levels. Many times I thought to myself, who is this guy! I could tell how hard he worked for some of the best parts of our society- free speech to name one. He will be sorely missed!
ReplyDeletei miss you ed....you were the best....thanks so much....uncle Pat
ReplyDeleteSo sad to hear of Ed's passing. He was such a stalwart and passionate advocate of community based and supported public radio. Even though I was a volunteer of modest importance, Ed consistently and warmly thanked me for my time. I will never forget his embrace.
ReplyDeleteI just heard that Ed died. He interfered me a couple of times, always probing, informed, interesting and kind. Imagine a world full of people with his dedication to service!
ReplyDeleteWell he interviewed me, inferring nothing!
DeleteEd was a wonderful guy. He helped everyone. God bless him.
ReplyDeleteLike knowledge too long gained too soon gone.
ReplyDeleteOn a lark, around 2003? I approached Ed with an idea for expanding content to include coverage of local environmental and social issues. I was a student at Everett's WWU extension and was aiming to fulfill volunteer credit. He was skeptical at first but had me come in and give it a try. He said what they really needed was someone to work the board, queuing up programs and keeping things on track. After a few learning sessions I was alone in the studio, running the show. Wow, I never imagined being capable of this but apparently Ed had more faith in my abilities than I did. And he badly needed some help (and probably a break!)
ReplyDeleteI'm also a professional musician with interest in and belief in the transformative power of the aural arts. So I found a couple spare moments to insert background music (which I brought in) as I read a couple paragraphs I had researched and written, reporting on local environmental and social issues such as soils contamination along the waterfront and lack of diversity and representation in local government. Did I accomplish my personal goal at KSER? No but it sounds as if Ed had helped me plant some seeds and get things rolling. Now others are hopefully taking the reins and helping make the KSER community a better place for all, as was Ed's wish.