Longtime Colorado Radio Vet Stu Haskell Passes

Big Rob & Stu Haskell

Sad news to report as ALL ACCESS has learned of the passing this weekend of longtime COLORADO radio legend and Market Pres, of iHEARTMEDIA/NORTHERN COLORADO and SOUTHERN WYOMING, STU HASKELL. He was 71.

HASKELL was the son of announcer and NEBRASKA BROADCASTERS ASSOC. HALL OF FAME member GEORGE HASKELL, and began his radio career at Top 40 KIIX-A/FORT COLLINS, CO, which was simulcast on an FM signal. Starting on the programming side, he moved into sales and management.

In the '70s, the FM dropped Top 40 to became one of the early stations to program a Progressive Music format, and by 1975, the station evolved to a Alternative Rock format and changed calls to KTCL. When then-owner JACOR moved KTCL south to DENVER, HASKELL went too, as GSM of that cluster. He would make the daily commute - one hour each way - as his heart remained in FORT COLLINS. After a few years, the commute would end, as HASKELL was named Market Mgr. of the FORT COLLINS cluster. 

iHEARTMEDIA Top 40 KSME/FORT COLLINS PD BIG ROB posted a wonderful tribute to his late friend and associate on the station's website, reading in part, "I personally owe just about everything in my radio career to him. He took a chance on a young kid from DENVER in 2005 and we've worked side by side creating some of the biggest moments in NOCO history ever since." You can read the entire piece here. 

Another close friend and co-worker, CHRIS KELLY, said this, "The man was a giant. A treasure across the industry in COLORADO for more than 45 years. If you did the 'Six Degrees of KEVIN BACON' game with STU HASKELL in FORT COLLINS, you'd get one — two at the most — degrees in before you found someone who knew and loved him. He was an absolute giant."

He leaves behind his wife, CINDY, sons MATT and SKYLAR, sister JULIE and many grandchildren. Plans for a service will be announced soon.

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