1928-1998
Vern was born May 1st 1928 in Tacoma Washington. He was raised in Wisconsin Rapids and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1946. He served in the U.S. Navy from from 1946 to 1953, first learning and then working in radio communications and electronics.
After the Navy, he worked for the Wisconsin Radio Council, which was the predecessor agency to the State Educational Communications Board. He worked at WLBL Radio in Auburndale for his first years in radio broadcasting. During this time he also worked in radio and television serving in Wisconsin Rapids.
In 1973 he accepted the job of chief engineer at WHLA La Crosse, supervising the construction of the tower and installation of the transmitter. He moved to Wausau to direct the renovation of the WHRM radio transmitter and the construction of WHRM-TV, channel 20. In 1985 he was in charge of the installation of the new transmitter at WLBL, Auburndale.
In total, he worked for the State Radio and Television Network for 44 years.
He was active in the Society of Broadcast Engineers. He was an avid sports fan with an affinity for Canadian League football, and the Calgary Stampede rodeo.
He died March 28th 1998 of an apparent heart attack.