Jon D. Hellhake

Jon Duane Hellhake died of cancer April 11, 2014 at his home with his wife and daughter Joy at his side. He would have been 69 on April 26th. He was born in 1945 in Boise, Idaho to Joe and Dorothy Hellhake, the second of three children. He was raised in Boise, attending Franklin Grade School, West Junior High and Borah High School. Jon loved to play sports. He played optimist football on the Sib Kleffner team. They were the pony league champion team in 1955. He was fast and wiry. He later developed the love of tennis. He and his partner, Mike Fease, were Idaho State doubles champions in high school. He and Mike were life long friends. He also loved to snow and water ski. He attended one year of college at Idaho State University in Pocatello and decided that the traditional path of studies was not for him. He got a part time job at KGEM as a night DJ. He found his love. He attended the Radio Operational Engineering School in California and secured his first class radio license in 1976 – and that was the beginning of a wonderful career. He had a voice and talent that was distinctive which carried him forward for a lifetime. You could always recognize Jon’s voice. He developed quite a following and quickly became a mainstay in the radio scene in Boise. He was courted by bigger radio markets and moved to Denver. He worked for KPPL – the Morning Zoo for 10 years. However, he was drawn back to Boise. (This is from long time partner and friend Chris Kelly’s recollection and observation of Jon. Is this familiar?) “From high atop the Owhyee Plaza Hotel in Beautiful Downtown Boise this is “AM Idaho” and “Idaho Today” with Jon Duane.” That is how Jon began his second career at KIDO radio in 1991 after retiring from retirement in Boise, Idaho. He had proven himself in the Denver and Phoenix radio markets and had come home to live the quiet life. That didn’t happen. He was called in to resuscitate the ailing and spotty KIDO—Idaho’s first radio station, which had no market share and played “Beautiful music; the music of your life”. With no budget or reach, Jon, through sheer will, amazing on-air talent and great skills as a board operator started to build the KIDO audience from very few listeners into a new and information powerhouse which won numerous ISBA (Idaho State Broadcasting Association) awards, became number one in the market as well as the first statewide radio network dubbed “The Idaho New Network.” In 1992, Chris Kelly became his on-air radio partner. The two became “AM Idaho with Jon Duane and Chris Kelly.” Together they glad-handed; business carded and schmoozed their way to the top. Jon’s love of radio, paired with innovative and savvy programming skills built a format that was admired and copied not only in Idaho but nationally. The segments he created from “The Washington Report” to insightful on-air interview with national and local politicians, entertainers, celebrities, writers, villains and heroes captured listeners year after year. Many told him they would sit in their cars in the parking lot at work just to hear what was happening on the morning show. Jon coined the term “Miss and Hour, Miss A lot” which summed up how people felt about Jon’s morning show. The list of notables who came in to the studio is too long and varied to be named in full but to name a few: actor, Leslie Neilsen, the entire Idaho Congressional delegation through the years, astronauts, music legend Carol King, former Vice President then, former congressman Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Governors: Cecil Andrus, John Evans, Phil Batt, Dirk Kempthorne, Jim Risch, and Butch Otter. Jon was quoted in “The New Yorker” magazine in an article on then-Senator Helen Chenoweth saying “Her supporters would take a bullet for Helen.” Jon helped launch the Gene Harris Jazz Festival and often had Gene and Janie in the studio to talk, laugh and entertain. He also imagined and created “Council Mountain Days” to help the community recover after the closing of the paper mill that had been the center of the town’s economy. He took the show on the road for a week in Council with a hot air balloon festival, concerts and barbeques. On 9/11, Jon and Chris were on a flight to Washington, D.C. to interview Senator Mike Crapo for the radio and television when the planes hit the World Trade Center. Jon had to buy a car since there was no other way to get back to Boise. The two of them drove back from Bismarck, N.D. in a 1995 Toyota with a non working radio as quickly as possible so they could get back on the air during this national crisis. The pair left KIDO and moved on to KFXD radio. Senator Barack Obama made a campaign stop in Boise. Jon and Chris went into the studio and covered it live because they thought it was important and newsworthy and people should get a chance to listen. It did not matter that Jon was in ill-heath, it was Saturday and he wasn’t getting paid for it. Jon was never in radio for the money. He is a true radio legend because he did what he loved, did it exceedingly well and made people love radio for its spontaneous, entertaining and informative impact. When the news of Jon’s passing went out over the Internet, the number of people who wrote they were saddened is astounding. He has been off the air for a few years now. Jon would be so thankful for the messages of love and support that came streaming in shortly after the news was posted. (Thank you Chris) Jon was an avid golfer and loved the game. He often golfed in celebrity tournaments. Many of his closest friends were his golfing buddies. They saw a lot of each other. Jon was the type of man “who knew no stranger.” He was always the life of the party, laughing and joking. It wasn’t a party without Jon. He was always there to lend a helping hand. He enjoyed building and remodeling. There was not a house he lived in that he didn’t “remodel” in some way and he was good at it. About a year and half ago, Jon meet a lovely lady who agreed to share her life with him for the time he had left. They were married last July. She made his last year joyous and full of laughter, love and caring. She was there for him every moment possible. She helped him do some of the “bucket list” items. The trip to the Oregon coast was memorable as was time spent at the lake in McCall. Jon is survived by his wife, Kathy; daughter, Joy Babcock and her husband, Dan and their children: Camille and Tabitha; daughter, Tonya Haun and her children: Ryan and Tyler; older brother, Larry Hellhake and his wife, Diane and their children: Katie Wright, Sarah Worthington, Matt Hellhake and Andy Hellhake; sister, Jan Larrea and her husband, Nick and their children: Carmen Swanwick and Joseph Larrea. He had many special people in his life but would like to acknowledge Dori and Elona Kiri, Dave Coburn, and Kathy’s son, Jeremy Miller and wife, Amanda and Kathy’s daughter, Jennifer Miller. He is preceded in death by his parents Joe and Dorothy Hellhake. His constant companion for the last 15 years, his dog Roo, passed away just three weeks ago. He loved that dog so. In lieu of flowers a donation to your favorite charity in Jon's name would be great. Jon supported so many throughout the years with money, time and talent. He never had a favorite. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Funeral Mass will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday 16, 2014 at Holy Apostles Catholic Church, 6300 N Meridian Rd, Meridian. Rev. Len McMillian will be the celebrant. A reception will be in the church hall immediately following the service. Remembrances may be left for the family at www.AccentFuneral.com. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home, Meridian.