A legend in local broadcasting and a former WHOP owner and longtime general manager—Roger Jeffers died Saturday at the age of 90.
Jeffers came to WHOP in April of 1962 when his father-in-law, the late F.E. Lackey, offered him a position at the station where he’d stay until his retirement in 2005.
During those four decades, Jeffers said he maintained his love for local radio.
Jeffers didn’t just talk about being involved in the community, he lived that commitment, serving as president of the Kiwanis Club, serving 20 years on the PADD Board of Directors and chairing that committee for two terms, he served on the Jennie Stuart Medical Center Board during a period of expansion, served on the Hopkinsville Community College Board of Directors, was appointed by former Governor Martha Layne Collins to the state Land and Water Conservation Board and he served 37 years on the board for First City Bank—which became Area Bank and then BB&T.
Jeffers was also a national leader in broadcasting, representing WHOP twice on the CBS Affiliates Board.
While many stations went away from covering local news and sports, Jeffers said he always found value in maintaining a commitment to that coverage.
Most of all, Jeffers said working with the men and women who walked through the doors of WHOP for all of those 43 years is what made the jobs most fulfilling to him.
While he made his name locally in broadcasting, Jeffers is also in the University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the 1955 football team that went undefeated. He spent time in coaching and sales before taking that first job in broadcasting at WHOP—a decision that has paid dividends for this community since that April day in 1962.
Jeffers was a force of nature in broadcasting, but more than that, he was a beloved member of this community that will be deeply missed for years to come. But his family can be assured that his memory will live on in those who call WHOP Radio home, and they’ll keep his voice and his legacy alive on the airwaves and in the halls of WHOP.
Funeral arrangements are private and are being handled by Hughart, Beard and Giles Funeral Home.