News Releases

Gordon Kilgore: What a Legacy

By: Jerry Enzler, Executive Director

Born in 1925, Gordon Kilgore not only saw most of the significant events of the 20th century, he reported them to us.

He was destined to be the voice of Dubuque. Beginning in 1952 as a play by play sports announcer for KDTH, he quickly moved into broadcasting. By 1956, he had become news director. During the flood of 1965, he broadcasted live, before today’s practice of 24 hour news coverage.

He loved history and people and the river. He tied them all together not only in his career, but in his personal life. A long time member of the Historical Society, Gordie was President of the National Rivers Hall of Fame from 1996 to 2006.

He had an enormous collection of oral histories. At a time when recording people’s stories was new in the field, Gordie was already a veteran, collecting and preserving the history of people. His stories about the river have been a feature on KDTH, entitled “From the Riverbank”.

For his reporting on flood issues, our city named a one block section, Kilgore Street, in his honor. For his work in preserving history, the Historical Society honored him with the Helen Mercer Award in 1996.

In 1997, the Historical Society designated Gordie as a Treasure of Dubuque for his outstanding contributions to the Historical Society and to the entire community at large. Gordie was the first person to earn that prestigious title. And true to Gordie’s style, he agreed to a roast, and gave as good as he got.

At Captain’s Ball, June 24th 2006, the National Rivers Hall of Fame surprised Gordie, in front of his assembled family, with the John P. Bickel Award. The Bickel Award is presented for outstanding contribution to the Hall of Fame, putting him in association with John P. Bickel, Sr., Captain William Bowell, Sr., and Wayne Norman, Sr.

Gordie was a superb story teller. He loved to emcee events and did it so well by adding great humor and meaning to all events he chaired.

So Lord, we introduce to you, Gordie Kilgore. You have known him all his life.
He comes to You not empty handed, but carrying bushels of friendship, love, and warm feelings from us.

You might give him a harp, if you have a spare one up there. But maybe more appropriately, you might find him a microphone, and then sit back and let him give you a play-by-play of what’s going on in Your heaven.