Ed Meyer, a Peabody Award winning broadcast journalist who spent 30 years in Washington as a reporter and newscaster for WMAL Radio and WMAL-TV (now WJLA-TV) died on Monday, September 25 in Lee’s Summit, MO. He was 99 years old.
Meyer was a native of New Jersey and served in the US Army Air Corps as a radio operator during World War II, including two years in the Southwest Pacific area.
He was a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism where he also was elected to “Purple Mask”—the honorary society for outstanding achievements in dramatics.
Meyer worked as a reporter for WCAU in Philadelphia and was News Director of WGH in Norfolk, VA before coming to Washington in December, 1960. He was WMAL’s senior reporter, anchor and commentator when he retired in December, 1990. He had also served as Manager of Radio News and then Manager of Television News at WJLA. He then taught broadcast journalism at Mt. Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD.
Among his achievements:
1983 George Foster Peabody award for his radio documentary The Jeffersonian World of Dumas Malone.
1981 Ohio State University award for radio documentary on the Iranian hostage crisis—One Hundred Days.
1988 Ohio State Alexander Hamilton award for We Have Become a Nation—a radio documentary about the U-S constitution.
Freedom’s Foundation awards in 1982 and 1983.
Awards for commentary in 1986 and 1987 from the Washington Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists.
Meyer’s lifetime hobby was the theater. He appeared in or directed major productions for theater groups in the Washington area and elsewhere. He directed and acted in the winning entry in the Washington One Act Play Contest and then was awarded Best Supporting Actor in the subsequent Eastern States Theater Festival.
He was a past president of the Hexagon Club for which he acted and wrote sketches and lyrics.
Meyer combined with the popular morning radio team of Harden and Weaver in the book On the Radio.
He had served as a volunteer at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, MO from 2007-2020.
Survivors are a son, Ben and three grandchildren –Alana in Austin, TX., Lexi in Lee’s Summit, MO and Savannah in San Diego, CA. and a daughter Jenny de Lozier- and two grandchildren—Emilie and Sarah– in Chevy Chase, MD. He also had six great grandchildren.
Meyer was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years—Barbara.
Ben, so sorry for your loss. Please know you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. May he rest in peace.
Wow. What a cool guy! He was such a sweet man. I know he will be missed!
What an amazing life!! I had no idea! Hugs to your family 💕
Ed and my dad, Donald Wisnev, were buddies forever beginning in NJ. My dad and Ed got to go to college on the G.I. bill. My dad followed Ed to Mizzou as Ed was wanting to get a journalism degree. They always kept in touch until my dad died in 2017. Since then Ed has kept in touch with me. Ed was such a wonderful man. My deepest condolences.