Richard Ward Fatherley

A memorial service was held at St Agnes Church in Roeland Park, Kansas this morning. Visitation, eulogies and a Funeral Mass was heard for our friend Richard Fatherly. 
Carmen Mercer President of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps wrote: "Please let the family know that we have appreciated all the work he did as a Great Patriot of this country and that he is missed by many people in our organization."
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Richard Ward Fatherley

August 20, 1940 – March 8, 2010

Richard Ward Fatherley, a “True American’, well known for his distinctive voice in broadcasting is now resting peacefully after his passing on Monday, March 8, 2010, at 69 years of age. He was born August 20, 1940, the son of the late Robert E. and Emeline W. Fatherley of Darien, CT. He was also preceded by his brother, William.
 Richard graduated from Darien, High School in 1958. As a distinguished voice, producer and on air talent, he began his career in radio in 1959 at WSTC in Stamford, CT. He was with radio stations in New York City, St. Louis KXOK (Storz Broadcasting) and sister station WHB, An audio biography was made “Radio’s Revolution & the World’s Happiest Broadcasters”. Miami WFUN, Topeka KTOP and WREN, and Kansas City WDAF, 61 Country A.M and the addition of FM which became, KYYS (KY-102), in a career that spanned 50 years, with stations that changed the radio listening habits of America. While at WHB, in Kansas City, as program director, he started the “Night Beat” program, the first regularly scheduled talk show. In 1983 he was named one of the nation’s top radio personalities by Billboard and was inducted into the St. Louis Radio Hall of Fame On January 4, 2006. He also offered “Fatherley Advice” (advertising) and after retiring, he was known as “AdVoice LLC”. He was an accomplished production consultant, voice-over talent, researcher, orator and author. Listen and you will still hear his voice today in the various commercials that play continually throughout the nation
(Richard Fatherley at he Uptown Theater February 2008)

Richard was a man of his word, selfless and often worked free of charge for many organizations. He spoke to K-State and many groups through the years. He tried to continually protect our rights as Americans. He will be remembered for his many sacrifices he made to make the world a better place through less government and standing by our constitutional rights. His love as a father, wealth of knowledge, grand voice, and passion in everything he believed in will be passed on through the generations.

Richard is survived by his wife Kathy, son Richard Ward Jr. and stepsons, Mark, Matthew, Stephen and Christopher Tomlinson, all of Kansas City, his sons, Douglas (Jodi) and Charles (Jennifer) and his daughter, Carol (CJ) McDaniel, all of Tonganoxie, KS; his son Robert (Brandi) of Jefferson City, MO; daughter, Kathryn and son, William, of Sudbury, MA; his brothers Robert E. Jr. (Julie) of Westport, CT, and John (Danielle) of Chicopee, MA.; 10 grand children, 3 great-grand children, and 2 nephews.
Memorial services will be held on Friday, March 19, 2010 at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 5250 Mission Road, Roeland Park, KS. Visitation begins at 9:30 am with the Eulogy at 10:30 and Mass at 11:00. The family requests no flowers. A memorial scholarship has been established in his honor as his legacy to assist young adults in their aspirations to have a career in the communications industry. Contributions may be sent to the Richard Ward Fatherley Memorial Communications Scholarship, c/o First State Bank and Trust, PO Box 219, Tonganoxie, KS 66086, or to the Little Sisters of the Poor in Kansas City in Richard’s name.

The family wishes to thank all of the outstanding medical professionals at both KU Med Center and the Select Specialty Hospital at Providence Medical Center.

Fatherley’s golden voice is etched somewhere in your memory. A great legacy

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A memorial service will be held St Agnes Church at 5250 Mission Road in Roeland Park, Kansas on 3/19/10. Visitation: 9:30am-10:30am - Eulogies: 10:30am -11:00am - Funeral Mass: 11:00am.

RICHARD WARD FATHERLEY, 69, was born in Norwalk, CT on August 1940. Richard passed away on March 8, 2010 at St. Providence Hospital in Kansas City, KS. He is survived by his wife, Katherine Crumley Fatherley and children, Richard Ward Fatherley Jr., Mark Tomlinson, Matthew Tomlinson Stephen Tomlinson, and Christopher Tomlinson Jr, and 2 grandsons, William and Christopher III. The family in Tonganoxie are son Douglas Fatherley and Jody Fatherley, Dustin Fatherley and Lindsey Fatherley, Charles Fatherley, Jody (Panick) Fatherley and daughter Rachelle Fatherley Ruff and husband Chris Ruff - current wife, Jennifer Fatherley, and daughter Shelby Fatherley - CJ and Carol Lynn Fatherley McDaniel, grandchildren Dylan Jacobs and Courtney Jacobs, son, Robert and Brandi Fatherley, Samuel Fatherley and Layne Fatherley of Jefferson City, Missouri. He has 3 great-grandchildren, Trey, Alexis and Landen. Richard has 2 children from a previous marriage to Marilyn Fatherley, Kathryn T. and William E. Fatherley of Sudbury, MA. He is survived by 2 brothers, Robert and John Fatherley of Darien, Connecticut.

He started his radio career in 1959 at WSTC in Stamford, Connecticut just after graduating from high school. He was with radio stations in New York City, St. Louis KXOX, WFUN, Miami, Topeka (WIBW and WREN) and Kansas City (WDAF, KYYS and WHB) in a career that spanned 50 years; stations that changed the radio listening habits of America.

While at WHB, in Kansas City in 1957, as program director, he started the "Night Beat" program, the first regularly scheduled telephone talk show and the fore-runner of the all-talk radio formats of today. In 1983 he was named one of the nation’s top radio personalities by Billboard and was inducted into the St. Louis Radio Hall of Fame in 2006.

While the Fatherley name may not be a common household word, it is certain most people have heard his unique deep, golden voice on radio and television commercials for John Deere, Jiffy Lube, Suburban Lawn and Gardens and many others as well as on commercials and info-ads for the University of Kansas and many area schools and universities.

In addition to his broadcasting activities he was in the process of authoring a book Radio’s Evolution and The World’s Happiest Broadcaster, the story of the origins of radio’s Top 40 Format and the story of Todd Storz and the Storz Broadcasting Company titled, "Radio's TOP 40 Revolution". His book will be complete by his family, friends and his own memoirs. His "AdVoice, LLC", company was the voice of Richard Fatherley He was nationally known and recognized in the "voice-over" commercial world.

He was active in work with Kansas State University in their broadcasting and radio department activities and he was also one of the original organizers of the annual K-State "Great Plains Radio Symposium" … and known for his "Fatherley Advice".

Several years ago Jim Gammon, Richard and several other local broadcasting icons formed the ‘Kansas City Media Legends’. The group, starting with 5 members, now boasts 117 members and is a virtual "Who’s Who" of Kansas City broadcasters, past and present. A great voice is now silent; a great man has left a great legacy.

A memorial service will be held St Agnes Church at 5250 Mission Road in Roeland Park, Kansas on 3/19/10. Visitation: 9:30am-10:30am - Eulogies: 10:30am -11:00am - Funeral Mass: 11:00am.

The family requests no flowers; donations may be made to The Little Sisters of the Poor Kansas City in Richard’s name.

He was amazing. Farewell ....