Howie ChizekA memorial service for radio personality Howie Chizek, who grew up in University Heights, will be at 10 a.m. June 21 at Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel, 1985 S. Taylor Road, Cleveland Heights.
Chizek, longtime talk show host at WNIR-FM (100.1) in Akron and a former public address announcer for the Cleveland Cavaliers, died of an apparent heart attack June 16 during a trip to Florida. He had turned 65 June 9.
According to published reports, Chizek had the longest-running, no-guest talk show in the United States. He worked at WNIR for 38 years and was on the air six days a week.
“He was the best I ever heard,” said former Sun News sportswriter Jim Isabella, a longtime friend of Chizek’s who sometimes filled in for him on the air. “I’ve heard them all, and he blew them all away.”
A Twinsburg resident, Chizek was a 1965 graduate of Cleveland Heights High School. He was inducted into the Cleveland Heights High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.
He also lived in Solon and Bedford Heights.
Chizek was traveling for charity work when he died in the terminal of an airport in Orlando, Fla. He was on the first day of vacation, taking 10 underprivileged children and several chaperones to Walt Disney World as part of his New Adventures youth program.
Tim Deininger, one of the chaperones and a Cleveland Heights resident, said Chizek had paid for the children’s trips. He had been doing it for more than 30 years, Deininger said.
“He was the kindest, gentlest man I’ve ever known,” said Deininger, who flew back home with the children June 17.
“He was an upbeat guy who always looked at the positives in any facet of life.”
Chizek was the public address announcer for the Cleveland Cavaliers for all but three years between 1977 and 1995 and for the Cleveland Force soccer team during the 1980s.
He was also the PA announcer for two Cleveland pro hockey teams, the Barons and the Crusaders, and for the Cleveland Nets of World Team Tennis, all during the 1970s.
Chizek got his start in radio while a student at Ohio University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications. He worked five years at a Youngstown radio station before coming to WNIR.
He is survived by a brother, Larry, also of Twinsburg. Burial will be private.
WNIR will broadcast the service for Chizek at 7 p.m. June 21, Isabella said. One may also listen to it online at that time at wnir.com.
See more news from Cleveland Heights and University Heights at cleveland.com/cleveland heights and cleveland.com/university-heights.
(216) 986-5896
Twitter: @EdWittenberg