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Joe Deuth Obituary
Joe was born in Forreston, IL, on May 6, 1943 to Milton and Sally Gohlke Deuth.
Joe is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, Doris Weaver Deuth. He is also survived by his brothers Tom Deuth and his wife Judy of Kansas City, KS and Chuck Deuth and his wife Kathy of Sun Lakes, AZ; his sister Julie Mock and her husband Gail of Boulder, CO and several nieces and nephews including his goddaughter Tracy Ackley and her family of Indianapolis, IN; his mother-in-law, Mrs. Leland Weaver, his sister-in-law Ms. Jo Pippin and his brother-in-law Mike Weaver of Bowling Green KY. Joe is also survived by his best friend, Phil Ritz.
Joe's family relocated to Colorado when he was young. He grew up in Loveland, building his first radio station transmitter in his family's basement at age 14. (The FCC came to his parents' home and shut his radio station down). Joe's first love was radio, particularly playing vinyl records. His 45 collection was legendary, consisting of over 30,000 records at one time.
Joe worked as an on-air personality in Loveland (KLOV), Ft. Collins (KCOL) and Denver (KOA, KIMN), Colorado. He was considered a pioneer in the "Oldies" concept before it became a fad. He moved to Louisville in 1977 to go on the air at WHAS 840. His air work reached most states and several other countries that could pick up the 50,000 watt station all night.
Joe continued working for Clear Channel Communications until his retirement in 1998. He produced and announced the weekly radio ministry of Our Savior Lutheran Church from 2003 until 2013.
Joe's beautiful voice, sweet nature and amazing musical knowledge will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him and by all who listened to his work.
Visitation will be at Arch L. Heady at Resthaven from 2-8 p.m. Thursday, January 23, 2014. Funeral services will on Friday, January 24, 2014 at his church, Our Savior Lutheran Church on Nottingham Parkway at 11 a.m. with visitation at the church beginning at 10 a.m. Friday. Internment will be private.
Memorials may be made in Joe's name to the Our Savior Lutheran Church Organ Fund. He always loved it when the big pipe organ played and when the organist "pulled out all the stops."
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Joe Deuth
Ben Willett
October 6, 2022
One other note to my previous message: Will never forget the "odd 'n' obscure" hour that he featured at 3 to 4 a.m. . . . recordings we mostly had never heard of. I think Joe's show was on from '83 to '97, 14 years of wonderful memories. BEN WILLETT . . . Gulfport, MS
Benjamin Willett
October 6, 2022
It has been 25 years since Joe went off the air at 840 WHAS but his memory lives on. Working the midnight shift in 1983, I could listen to his all-night show starting at midnight. . . really something to look forward to. I requested several tunes and Joe always played them the on the next broadcast. God bless Joe, he will never be forgotten.
Dennis/Karen (Holtorf) Michael
August 26, 2020
We knew Joe "Deuth" when he worked at KCOL in Fort Collins, CO. I remember those wonderful oldies he used to play. RIP Joe. We will always remember you.
Bruce Pettinger
May 23, 2014
I just found out today of Joe's sad passing. He certainly was a legacy. I was fortunate to buy that vinyl LP that WHAS offered of 12 favorite original recorded songs from his overnight radio show. I still have some reel-to-reel recordings from his special all instrumental music shows. My sympathies go to his family and the staff of 84-WHAS.
March 31, 2014
Mrs. Deuth (Donovan), sincere condolences from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I've been into radio almost all my 65 years. So I know how radio personalities (especially when they're great) can endear fans. All the best and thank you Joe for the years you gave all of us! -Phil Colaianni-
Janice Miller
January 27, 2014
Doris...I am so sorry for your loss. I will keep you in my prayers...Sincerely, Janice Kendt Miller
January 26, 2014
Doris: My mother and I were very sad to learn of Joe's passing. He will be missed. We didn't know him well, but it was obvious he was a good, kind man. Loretta and Mary (of the Sunday 2pm crew).
Angela Taulbee
January 25, 2014
Mrs Deuth,Our condolences on your husbands passing.Heaven has gained another great person to watch over us. May God keep you in his arm's at this very sad time.
Deb Coleman
January 25, 2014
Dear Doris, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Sending prayers to you.
January 25, 2014
Doris I am so sorry for your lost. I didn't know he had been sick. my prayers are with you. Shirley
Melanie Dragoo
January 25, 2014
Mrs. Deuth,
So sorry to hear of your loss.. You are in my thoughts and prayers..
January 25, 2014
He was the best and we won't see another one like him. My sympathies to Joe's family and friends.
Barbara, Louisville, Kentucky
Wes Dawson
January 24, 2014
Doris,
I am so sorry for your loss, you are in our thoughts and prayers.
Dale Patterson
January 24, 2014
Joe was the last of the great all-night AM jocks. I loved the variety of music he played and his gentle yet authoritative on-air manner. Joe could not have been nicer to me the couple of times I talked to him on the phone - just a wonderful person and a superb broadcaster. Rest in Peace, Joe.
Jim Evans
January 23, 2014
Doris, it was a great joy in the 1980s, to be in the WHAS radio studio, as Joe played his records. He had 3 types of records: the huge 18 inch commercial, the 33 RPM record, and the 45 RPM singles. He played them all. Joe, thanks for the memories. Thanks for being my friend. Well done Joe. Very well done.
Jim Evans, Louisville KY.
Roberta Devers
January 23, 2014
Dear Doris, I am so sorry for your loss. I didn't know you were married to a star! You will be in my prayers,
Love,
Robbi
Denny Nugent
January 23, 2014
So sad to hear the news of Joe's passing... I was privileged to work with Joe at WHAS back in the early 80's, and really appreciated his extraordinary attitude and performance spinning his beloved oldies for those thousands of listeners across the USA. He was the best, and I've never seen another record collection like his. I'm so sorry for your loss...may God comfort you in this difficult time...
Jon Borie
January 23, 2014
Doris, I'm so sorry for your loss. As long as I've known you, I never knew you were married to a star. Peace.
Pat Bell
January 22, 2014
Doris,
My deepest sympathies to you and family.
Jo Ann Maynard
January 22, 2014
Doris, I am so sorry for your loss. You certainly will be in my prayers. May God guide you through this time of sorrow.
K Miller
January 22, 2014
Sorry to hear of his passing. He had a great radio voice & seemed like such a sweet man. I do not know of anyone who had the knowledge he did. Sympathy to his family.
Al Mayo
January 22, 2014
One of the truly good guys I've ever know in radio. Be seeing you Joe.
Tom
January 22, 2014
My friends and I use to listen to Joe in the mid-nite hours on WHAS and winning money for his contests. We met Joe only a couple of times. We were at the old L & N. One of the nicest person we ever met. Rest in Peace! Praying for the family!
Pru Miller
January 22, 2014
How he owned the nights and wee hours! Thanks for showing the rest of us how to really love the R&R business, Joe! My prayers go out to his wife and family...God bless you.
Dennis Dorr-Durovich
January 22, 2014
Will always think of Joe,and our chats when he was on WHAS. We both knew alot of people in the music industry,as I did radio too. RIP Joe..catch You on the other side.
Judi Steilberg
January 22, 2014
Can't think of oldies without thinking of Joe. We used to sit around and talk about music for hours! The world is a quieter, sadder place now. Miss you, Joe.
January 22, 2014
It's a "Rock-N-Roll Revival" in Heaven with the great Joe Donovan. I was one of the fortunate ones to work with Joe at 84WHAS, I learned so much from him.
Larry Smith
99.9 the Big Dawg
Campbellsville Ky
John Quincy, LKYRadio.com
January 22, 2014
Joe was one of the best to ever modulate a VU meter. With his smooth-as-silk voice and his tremendous knowledge of the music he entertained us with, there'll never be another like Joe Donovan. My condolences to Doris and his family.
Don Mueller
January 21, 2014
I first met Joe at a church singles group in 1972 in Denver -- this shy humble man just happened to have the number one overnight radio show on the biggest station in town -- KOA radio! Since I was a radio DJ myself, we were close buddies for about five years until Joe left Denver for Louisville. We did stay in touch through the years. Joe was the best at what he did -- and I shall miss him!
Dave Smith
January 21, 2014
I'm one of many people that Joe touched over the years and had a positive influence. My condolences to his family, please know he has an extended family who grieves with you.
Tony Sclafani
January 21, 2014
My condolences. Joe was a hugely influential DJ as well as a really nice guy. I made it a point to hold onto tapes I made of his programs over two decades ago.
Randall Hamm
January 21, 2014
Condolences to the family. Joe was a big part of my life, tuning into him, when I went to College in Nashville Tennessee. Tuning in, meant tuning into home. Later, he kept me company going home from my radio job in French Lick, after signing off WFLQ in French Lick Indiana. Plus Joe gave me a wealth of information on rare and forgotten oldies. he will be missed. One of the smoothest voices ever in radio
Steve Abramson
January 21, 2014
Nice guy. Knew his stuff.
Barry Bernson
January 21, 2014
Saw Joe finishing his show every morning, in the 1990s when I came in to WHAS-TV to anchor "Good Morning Kentuckiana" with Rachel Platt. Joe was a Master of the All-Night Radio Rock 'n' Roll Universe. Rock on in Vinyl Heaven, Joe.
Jim Strader
January 21, 2014
Joe Donavan was one of the most professional music men in radio. Always loved talking to him at WHAS and was extremely sorry to hear about the passing of this uniquely talented man. To me he was "the king" of late night radio.
Floyd & Angel Reiske
January 21, 2014
our sincere condolences to Joes family..and our eternal thanks to Doris for sharing him with us many a night thru the years
Terry Moore
January 21, 2014
I was a regular long-distance listener to Joe's WHAS show. What a treasure it was to spend that time with him. His personality made him the perfect companion in the overnight hours, and his knowledge of the music and enthusiasm for it were second to none. I salute an excellent broadcaster and a wonderful man. Thanks, Joe. It was a pleasure.
Bonnie Mitchell
January 21, 2014
My condolences to the Deuth family. Loved Joe's program and listened as often as I could to the golden oldies that I grew up with. I was very sorry when he was no longer on the air. His voice was beautiful.
Bill Herald
January 21, 2014
I have great memories of listening regularly to Joe's all-night show on WHAS, even though I lived in a faraway location (Sarasota, Fla.).
Sincere condolences to friends, family and his many radio fans. RIP, Joe!
January 21, 2014
To Joe's family and far flung friends. He will be sorely missed by all. Sincerely, Doug McElvein CBS Radio/KMOX St. Louis.
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