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Louise Thomas
Editor
Ron E Sparks, the Australian radio presenter, has died, aged 72.
The news was announced by his former colleagues on station WSFM on Saturday (13 July).
“We are devastated to announce the heartbreaking news of the passing of former WSFM announcer Ron E Sparks,” wrote Amanda Keller and Brendan Jones.
The post was accompanied by a picture of Sparks in the radio booth.
Keller penned a touching tribute to her former colleague and friend as she wrote, “Heartbroken to hear the news of Ron E’s passing. Always a gentleman, his old-school professionalism was remarkable.
“He put everything into every ‘back announce’ or ‘forward sell’. Funny, droll and modest. I admired how he rolled with the whims of the changing tides of radio. He loved his family and my heart goes out to them today.”
Sparks was born in 1952 and raised in Brisbane, Australia, before he moved to Cammeray, a suburb in Sydney, with his wife and two sons. The “E” in his name does not stand for anything and was added by a former boss who thought his radio name at the time, “Ronnie Sparx” sounded too immature.
He rose to prominence in the 1970s after beginning his career on 2SM, quickly becoming one of the nation’s most respected broadcasters.
He was also a distinguished voiceover artist, having presented a number of shows including Wheel of Fortune and Hot Streak. His distinctive voice also led him to present ABC’s Countdown for a special edition of the show.
During his illustrious career, he interviewed many prominent figures including Muhammad Ali.
Fans shared their memories of the broadcaster as they grieved “the voice of my youth”.
“My fondest memory of him was when he had ‘Mona’ the mannequin in his passenger seat so he could drive in the T2 lane,” wrote one listener.
“I remember being a radio-obsessed teenager catching the train out to Bondi and just hanging in reception and looking through into the studio and then the door opened and Ron E invited my mate and I into the studio and let us fire off the next song,” shared another person.
“Years later I got to work with him at 2DayFM and he was always so encouraging and fun and a true professional who loved the craft of radio. Thanks for the memories. Vale Ron E.”
Another added: “He was a lovely quirky man”.
A cause of death has not been confirmed.
