Edmund "Ed" Wickenheiser Jr. (1938–May 6, 2019) was an American radio and television broadcaster. He was known for being at WGAL in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as news director for 21 years and was also known for being the first reporter on the scene of the partial meltdown at Three Mile Island.
Early life
A proud and lifelong Columbian, he was the son of the late Edmund A. Wickenheiser Sr. and Patricia Faltin Wickenheiser and had 2 brothers. He graduated from Lancaster Catholic High School and attended Franklin and Marshall College, taking courses in business and management. He enlisted in the USMC in 1956 during the Cold War, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf War by serving three tours of active duty with the Marines.
Career
In the mid-1950s, Wickenheiser began his career in radio's golden years at WCOY–AM 1580 in Columbia, followed by WGAL–AM 1490 in the early 1960s and WSBA–AM 910 in the late 1960s through 1979 in York, where he served as a journalist, news director, and operations manager. In September 1960, he interviewed John F. Kennedy when he traveled with him in a caravan with stops in Lancaster, Columbia, and the York Fair Grounds while being accompanied by Sen. Joseph Clark and Gov. David Lawrence.
Then came Wickenheiser's big break when, in March 1979, he became the first reporter to cover the nuclear meltdown of the Three Mile Island accident, which also received worldwide attention. It was his last big event to report on the radio that led him to join WGAL in September 1979 as its news director. While there, he was an institution, having the WGAL newsrooms built for its successful coverage and hiring so many WGAL journalists who were inspired by his work, which became part of his legacy. Wickenheiser retired from WGAL in 2000 after 21 years to spend more time with his family.
In retirement, he remained busy with volunteer work at his church, Holy Trinity Catholic, and with Lancaster Emergency Management, including the Counter-Terrorism Task Force. He returned to WGAL in 2009 to celebrate its 60th Anniversary.
Awards and honors
Wickenheiser received many ribbons during his time overseas. During his time at WGAL as news director, He received five Emmys from the National Academy of Arts and Sciences Philadelphia Chapter. He was a member of the Radio-Television News Directors Association and President of the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association from 1997 through 1998, along with the Lancaster Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. He was also inducted into the WGAL Hall of Fame in 2017.
Personal life
He was married to Susan Conrad Wickenheiser for 49 years until she died in 2011. They had one daughter and three grandchildren.
Death
Wickenheiser died on May 6, 2019, after a courageous battle with cancer at age 80.
