Paul Roberts was eulogized on Tuesday. I cannot offer anything like the eulogy of those who knew him well through his life. I am not his relative, but only his co-worker for a short period of time. However, I shared a love of radio with Paul Roberts, and I hope, in the end, I am perceived by others as the kind and caring professional that Paul was by those I have worked with in the industry.
I am deeply saddened by his death.
Paul was blessed with a rich and beautiful voice. When he delivered a newscast, whether on WGOW over the last few years, or with US101 in the 1980's, his voice carried the gravitas of the old time newscaster.
At WGOW, where I spent many years of my career, Paul was regarded as an old warrior, honored for his years in the trenches and for all of the familiar personalities he worked with back in the day before they were household names. I recall fondly his stories of Larry King broadcasting live from a hotel lobby in Miami, back when Miami was hot and the home of Jackie Gleason and Ed Sullivan and the like. The stars, Paul said, would be caught in the lobby and put on the air.
Paul also told me about his days as the mentor of Sally Jesse Raphael, when she was just an intern with him in NYC.
Paul Roberts was a gentleman. I learned a lot about how to behave as a gentleman from my grandmother, Dorothy Hackett Ward, and Paul always seemed to have taken the same lessons.
I am truly and deeply saddened by his passing.
I understand that Paul, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer back in August of last year, was able to survive through the end of the last Masters Golf Tourney. Golf was a passion for Paul, so I take some solace that he witnessed such an artful finiish by Mr. Mickelson and may have held his passion close to his heart as he left us.
I take this lesson from Paul Roberts's life:
Be honest.
Show up for work on the worst days.
Care for your co-workers.
Go the extra mile.
May he rest well in the bosom of his Lord.
I will miss Paul Roberts. He was a cool guy.
Max Hackett