Longtime Delaware radio newsman Allan Loudell has died at the age of 64.
This sucks:
Allan was born in Western Springs, Colorado, before moving to the Chicago area, where he grew up and attended Lyons Township High School–where he would be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1996. He went on to study communications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduating in 1977.
Via WDEL
I know my DL peeps knew Loudell well. I only had a few interactions but he struck me as a consummate professional and very decent human being.
He was both. I remember the time he showed up at a fundraiser to help Tom Noyes (aka Tommywonk) afford to go to the National Democratic Convention as a delegate.
I think he did it b/c he and Tom had lots in common–both valued intellect and honesty.
I really liked him, truly one of a kind. What’s that term–‘sui generis’. Delaware was so fortunate to have him.
I offer my deepest condolences to his family. I will miss him. All of Delaware will miss him.
Newsprint is in my blood, so I’ve always preferred print over broadcast, but I would place Allan Loudell at the top of any ranking of news media professionals in Delaware.
I cannot count the number of times I would listen to his interviews and ask myself, “what the hell is this guy doing working in Delaware?”
He had such depth and breadth of knowledge, intellectual curiosity and fairness that he could have excelled in any media market, even New York and Washington.
For a native of Illinois, he became more of a Delawarean than many of the natives (of which I am not). The appearances at church carnivals, the on-air trivia games, the regular sessions with high school journalists and, most of all, the election day travels to polling places up and down the state — they are all components of the unique brand that will be remembered forever as Allan Loudell.
He could tell you all you there was to know about moths or the situation in China. He could tell you about hearing Styx when he was growing up around Chicago or the demographic breakdown of the last election. He’d talk cheerfully about the light stuff at city festivals or in office lobbies — you only had to ask — and about the news on the air like the pro he was. Delaware was lucky to have him. It was always kind of surprising we did.
Yep. He took you down pathways you had no idea he had trod.
He knew a lot about a lot, and he took joy in sharing that with anyone he came across.