Gene Amole Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information

DENVER (AP) – Gene Amole, whose roots in radio and television laid his foundation as a longtime Rocky Mountain News columnist, died Sunday. He was 78.

Amole (pronounced AY-mul) told readers in October he was dying. But he kept writing, turning his column into a diary of his experience.

A column written by Amole to be read after his death was to be published in Monday's newspaper.

Writing his "diary pages" seemed to give Amole new vigor. In one stretch, he wrote in every edition of the News – six days per week – for 17 consecutive weeks.

Column writing was the third career for Amole, whose views first reached Denverites through the radio.

With partner Ed Koepke, he turned KVOD-FM into a commercial classical station. He woke up the city playing Vivaldi and Mozart, weaving in his commentary and sometimes ad libbing advertisements.

During this time, Amole also became involved in television, writing and producing from the first week the medium came to Denver. He won a Peabody Award for a live, half-hour show he wrote and hosted profiling people and places in the metro area in the late 1950s.

Amole, whose first column appeared on Dec. 18, 1977, was to the Mile High City what Herb Caen was to San Francisco. In a state with just as many newcomers as natives, Amole gave new residents a glimpse at the old Denver before cookie-cutter high-rises, when it wasn't ashamed to be a cow town.

Amole wrote unsentimentally about his experience serving with the 6th Armored Division in Europe. But he also upset fellow veterans by criticizing Hollywood's sentimentalizing of the war, describing the unheroic actions of some soldiers he served with.

Readers also got to know Amole's wife and four children by name through his columns.

Copyright © 2001 The Associated Press

Not sure what to say?

Get email updates for this page

Posting Guidelines|FAQ

Moving to Denver in 1974 was the second best thing I ever did [getting married was the first]. But the third best thing was finding Gene's lovely morning program. I recall the microphone next to the bird feeder that he would skillfully mix with his commentaries and allow listeners to experience the joys of that same nature he so loved. Gene died the same year we moved from our dream home in Conifer and I recall the immense sadness I felt upon his passing. Gene filled my morning commute with a...

Philip Rastocny

September 27, 2025 | Brooksville, FL | Acquaintance

About 47 years ago when I was 33 I was living and working in Boulder, Colorado. I had a bedside radio/alarm clock that was tuned to KVOD. One Saturday morning, the radio came on and I decided to snooze listening to the classical music on Gene Amole's program. I was sound asleep when I was awakened by Gene's excited voice saying "Now THAT'S the way to start a Saturday morning!" He had just played the finale of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. I immediately thought back to the dream I was having as...

John Emerick

January 26, 2025 | Redstone, CO | Acquaintance

When I first began listening to Classical music I found KVOD. Gene Amole was the host of the early morning program. I remember that he had a mic in a bird feeder at the station, and opened each day with Massenet's Meditation of Thais. Thank you so much, Mr. Amole. You made my youth joyful.

Patrick Lee

November 07, 2024 | Lake Forest, CA | Friend

I remember that Gene once broadcast classical music shows on Saturday mornings from his home studio west of Denver. It looked out upon a patio contining a large birdbath hooked up with a microphone. Whenever birds flocked in, Gene would flip the switch, and here would be lovely chirpings joining in with the music.

Scott Calhoun

December 01, 2021 | Hillsboro, OR

joann duley

March 17, 2019 | Arvada, CO

I posted his Gene's dressing recipe on my Next Door bulletin board this week and heard from several people who still remember him with fondness. I've made his dressing every year since he first wrote it in his column. I still miss him and the Rocky!

Ginger Hamilton

November 24, 2018

I think I have copied every article of Gene's from the Rocky Mountain News (too bad it's gone" but as soon as I am able I will double check my inventory

don emaniuel

November 23, 2018 | Golden, CO

We moved from a small Indiana town to Denver November 1940. A mid-term move.overwhelming fro consolidate school of 500 students K 12 to South High's nearly 3,000 students. Gene was one of first people I met. Though he was 2 years ahead of me.

I remember several 1st impressions. First, we were toward the end of The Great Depression, when Two-Car Families was a rarity and students with autos even more rare. And Gene parked his car across the street, off Louisiana Ave and Washington...

Wendell White

November 11, 2017 | Eureka Springs, AR

A gracious and respectable person whose work has done so much to bring so much joy to many of us in these troubled times hard to deal with (2 Tim 3:1). Perhaps more will continue to have positive experiences from a wonderful work that has an impactful contribution to life and its anxieties.

March 05, 2014 | GA

Gene Amole

Obituary

Guest Book