Radio Pioneer and early developer of radar.
*** U.S. Veteran - World War II ***
Most remembered for his Sunday radio chat, "Little Cafe Down the Street", and live reports from the KVBR airplane.
Established dozens of radio stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Charles B. Persons, 89, Brainerd, Minn., died Sunday, Nov. 15, 1998, at his home. He was born to Gustav and Lottie Persons of Onamia, Minn., on April 26, 1909. During World War II he served as a major in the Signal Corps at the Pentagon and helped develop radar technology. He married his wife June on Aug. 30, 1945. He was a pioneer broadcaster who built dozens of radio stations for the Arrowhead Network in Minnesota for 28 years. He built WELY radio in Ely in 1954, and also built a TV cable system in Ely, one of the first in Minnesota. He was president of Marshfield Valtronics cable systems in Marshfield and Merrill, Wis., in the 1960s. He started KVBR radio in Brainerd in 1964 and operated it with his wife June for 29 years. He was most remembered for his Sunday radio chat, "Little Cafe Down the Street", and live reports from the KVBR airplane. He wrote many articles for flying magazines in his 30 career as a private pilot. Since retiring from KVBR in 1993, he published four books on radio broadcasting and flying. In 1980, he was presented the "Minnesota Pioneer Broadcaster Award, " the highest award given by the Minnesota Broadcasters Association. He was a longtime member of the Brainerd Rotary Club and was a well-known speaker at area clubs. He was an avid ham radio operator, amateur photographer and computer enthusiast. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Brainerd. Survivors include his wife; six sons, Roger, Wheaton, III., Richard, Aurora, Ill., Garry, Edina, Minn., Mark and Scott of Brainerd, and Robert, Eden Prairie, Minn; nine grandchildren, including Paul and Tabatha of Brainerd; and a sister, Alice Duncan, Napa, Calif. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church in Brainerd with the Rev. Ronald Green officiating. Burial will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Duluth. Friends may call at the Halverson-Johnson Funeral Home in Brainerd from 4-7:30 p.m. Friday and at the church one hour prior to the service.
~~~
Parents: Charlotte Julia Baarsch B:1886 MN.; D: before 1930) and Gustave Clarence Persons (B:6 Dec 1879 Sweden, D: 25 Dec 1966 Atascadero, California) were married on 19 September 1907 in Preston, Filmore Co., Minnesota.
Brother to:
Clarence Leonard Persons : (B: 1911 Minnesota)
Alice Persons-Duncan (B: 1917 Minnesota)
James Persons (B: 1919 in Minnesota)
*** U.S. Veteran - World War II ***
Most remembered for his Sunday radio chat, "Little Cafe Down the Street", and live reports from the KVBR airplane.
Established dozens of radio stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Charles B. Persons, 89, Brainerd, Minn., died Sunday, Nov. 15, 1998, at his home. He was born to Gustav and Lottie Persons of Onamia, Minn., on April 26, 1909. During World War II he served as a major in the Signal Corps at the Pentagon and helped develop radar technology. He married his wife June on Aug. 30, 1945. He was a pioneer broadcaster who built dozens of radio stations for the Arrowhead Network in Minnesota for 28 years. He built WELY radio in Ely in 1954, and also built a TV cable system in Ely, one of the first in Minnesota. He was president of Marshfield Valtronics cable systems in Marshfield and Merrill, Wis., in the 1960s. He started KVBR radio in Brainerd in 1964 and operated it with his wife June for 29 years. He was most remembered for his Sunday radio chat, "Little Cafe Down the Street", and live reports from the KVBR airplane. He wrote many articles for flying magazines in his 30 career as a private pilot. Since retiring from KVBR in 1993, he published four books on radio broadcasting and flying. In 1980, he was presented the "Minnesota Pioneer Broadcaster Award, " the highest award given by the Minnesota Broadcasters Association. He was a longtime member of the Brainerd Rotary Club and was a well-known speaker at area clubs. He was an avid ham radio operator, amateur photographer and computer enthusiast. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Brainerd. Survivors include his wife; six sons, Roger, Wheaton, III., Richard, Aurora, Ill., Garry, Edina, Minn., Mark and Scott of Brainerd, and Robert, Eden Prairie, Minn; nine grandchildren, including Paul and Tabatha of Brainerd; and a sister, Alice Duncan, Napa, Calif. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church in Brainerd with the Rev. Ronald Green officiating. Burial will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Duluth. Friends may call at the Halverson-Johnson Funeral Home in Brainerd from 4-7:30 p.m. Friday and at the church one hour prior to the service.
~~~
Parents: Charlotte Julia Baarsch B:1886 MN.; D: before 1930) and Gustave Clarence Persons (B:6 Dec 1879 Sweden, D: 25 Dec 1966 Atascadero, California) were married on 19 September 1907 in Preston, Filmore Co., Minnesota.
Brother to:
Clarence Leonard Persons : (B: 1911 Minnesota)
Alice Persons-Duncan (B: 1917 Minnesota)
James Persons (B: 1919 in Minnesota)
Radio Pioneer and early developer of radar.
*** U.S. Veteran - World War II ***
Most remembered for his Sunday radio chat, "Little Cafe Down the Street", and live reports from the KVBR airplane.
Established dozens of radio stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Charles B. Persons, 89, Brainerd, Minn., died Sunday, Nov. 15, 1998, at his home. He was born to Gustav and Lottie Persons of Onamia, Minn., on April 26, 1909. During World War II he served as a major in the Signal Corps at the Pentagon and helped develop radar technology. He married his wife June on Aug. 30, 1945. He was a pioneer broadcaster who built dozens of radio stations for the Arrowhead Network in Minnesota for 28 years. He built WELY radio in Ely in 1954, and also built a TV cable system in Ely, one of the first in Minnesota. He was president of Marshfield Valtronics cable systems in Marshfield and Merrill, Wis., in the 1960s. He started KVBR radio in Brainerd in 1964 and operated it with his wife June for 29 years. He was most remembered for his Sunday radio chat, "Little Cafe Down the Street", and live reports from the KVBR airplane. He wrote many articles for flying magazines in his 30 career as a private pilot. Since retiring from KVBR in 1993, he published four books on radio broadcasting and flying. In 1980, he was presented the "Minnesota Pioneer Broadcaster Award, " the highest award given by the Minnesota Broadcasters Association. He was a longtime member of the Brainerd Rotary Club and was a well-known speaker at area clubs. He was an avid ham radio operator, amateur photographer and computer enthusiast. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Brainerd. Survivors include his wife; six sons, Roger, Wheaton, III., Richard, Aurora, Ill., Garry, Edina, Minn., Mark and Scott of Brainerd, and Robert, Eden Prairie, Minn; nine grandchildren, including Paul and Tabatha of Brainerd; and a sister, Alice Duncan, Napa, Calif. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church in Brainerd with the Rev. Ronald Green officiating. Burial will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Duluth. Friends may call at the Halverson-Johnson Funeral Home in Brainerd from 4-7:30 p.m. Friday and at the church one hour prior to the service.
~~~
Parents: Charlotte Julia Baarsch B:1886 MN.; D: before 1930) and Gustave Clarence Persons (B:6 Dec 1879 Sweden, D: 25 Dec 1966 Atascadero, California) were married on 19 September 1907 in Preston, Filmore Co., Minnesota.
Brother to:
Clarence Leonard Persons : (B: 1911 Minnesota)
Alice Persons-Duncan (B: 1917 Minnesota)
James Persons (B: 1919 in Minnesota)
*** U.S. Veteran - World War II ***
Most remembered for his Sunday radio chat, "Little Cafe Down the Street", and live reports from the KVBR airplane.
Established dozens of radio stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Charles B. Persons, 89, Brainerd, Minn., died Sunday, Nov. 15, 1998, at his home. He was born to Gustav and Lottie Persons of Onamia, Minn., on April 26, 1909. During World War II he served as a major in the Signal Corps at the Pentagon and helped develop radar technology. He married his wife June on Aug. 30, 1945. He was a pioneer broadcaster who built dozens of radio stations for the Arrowhead Network in Minnesota for 28 years. He built WELY radio in Ely in 1954, and also built a TV cable system in Ely, one of the first in Minnesota. He was president of Marshfield Valtronics cable systems in Marshfield and Merrill, Wis., in the 1960s. He started KVBR radio in Brainerd in 1964 and operated it with his wife June for 29 years. He was most remembered for his Sunday radio chat, "Little Cafe Down the Street", and live reports from the KVBR airplane. He wrote many articles for flying magazines in his 30 career as a private pilot. Since retiring from KVBR in 1993, he published four books on radio broadcasting and flying. In 1980, he was presented the "Minnesota Pioneer Broadcaster Award, " the highest award given by the Minnesota Broadcasters Association. He was a longtime member of the Brainerd Rotary Club and was a well-known speaker at area clubs. He was an avid ham radio operator, amateur photographer and computer enthusiast. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Brainerd. Survivors include his wife; six sons, Roger, Wheaton, III., Richard, Aurora, Ill., Garry, Edina, Minn., Mark and Scott of Brainerd, and Robert, Eden Prairie, Minn; nine grandchildren, including Paul and Tabatha of Brainerd; and a sister, Alice Duncan, Napa, Calif. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church in Brainerd with the Rev. Ronald Green officiating. Burial will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Duluth. Friends may call at the Halverson-Johnson Funeral Home in Brainerd from 4-7:30 p.m. Friday and at the church one hour prior to the service.
~~~
Parents: Charlotte Julia Baarsch B:1886 MN.; D: before 1930) and Gustave Clarence Persons (B:6 Dec 1879 Sweden, D: 25 Dec 1966 Atascadero, California) were married on 19 September 1907 in Preston, Filmore Co., Minnesota.
Brother to:
Clarence Leonard Persons : (B: 1911 Minnesota)
Alice Persons-Duncan (B: 1917 Minnesota)
James Persons (B: 1919 in Minnesota)
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PIONEER RADIO BROADCASTER 1926-1994. PILOT - AUTHOR
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