The last of the original owners of Kankakee Valley Broadcasting has passed away. LeRoy Gudeman died at his Knox home Wednesday at the age of 95. He was part of the group that launched WKVI-FM in 1969 and continued to serve on Kankakee Valley Broadcasting’s board of directors until 2018. Along the way, he also saw the start of WKVI AM in 1970 and WYMR in 2015.
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A 92-year-old Knox man was reunited Monday with the nurse who saved his life. It was Memorial Day when Leroy Gudeman, his wife, and two friends were having dinner at Applebee’s in Valparaiso, and he began choking on a piece of steak. He was able to indicate that he was not okay, and a member of the group began the Heimlich maneuver. Gudeman says that’s about all he remembers until he woke up in the hospital two days later.
A founding member of the WKVI and WYMR radio stations is retiring from the Kankakee Valley Broadcasting, Inc. Board of Directors.
Leroy Gudeman was there when WKVI went on the air with the 99.3 FM station on July 21, 1969, and with the 1520 AM frequency in November of 1970. He also saw the opening of WYMR 98.3 FM station in Plymouth on Feb. 6, 2015.
After having a long, successful law practice in Starke County, LeRoy Gudeman has decided to retire.
Gudeman worked by himself out of the same building across the street from the Starke County Courthouse in downtown Knox since moving to the area in 1957. He has been a part of the community in many activities and has been on the Kankakee Valley Broadcasting board of directors that oversees operations at WKVI for many years.
Gudeman said he had published a notice in the newspaper in time and said he has proof of its publication. He said everything is in order for them to proceed with vacating the road, and all adjoining properties have been given notice. The properties would be extended to where the road was located.
No one in the audience offered any opposition, and Gudeman asked that the commissioners approve his request. However, Commissioner Kathy Norem said they would approve his request at the next meeting.
The Knox City Police Department continues to investigate a break-in at the Starke County Abstract building on 14 E. Washington Street in Knox.
Suzie Gerretson called police on Wednesday, November 9th, when she entered the office and noticed that the safe was open and there were numerous papers scattered around the outside of the safe. Her desk drawer was also open.
