- Date Of Birth: October 13, 1939
- Date Of Death: February 15, 2018
- State: Pennsylvania
Johnny Andrews
John Francis Klecic, former radio personality and retired radio broadcasting executive also known as Johnny Andrews, died February 15th, 2018 after a four year battle with cancer. He enjoyed a long and successful career as a radio disc jockey, as well as the programmer and general manager of a number of successful radio stations.
Born Oct. 13, 1939 in Hubbard, Ohio and raised in Farrell, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Anna (Rudolph) and Frank Klecic.
A graduate of Farrell High School, he attended Youngstown University and the University of Akron. His early radio career began in Farrell, Pennsylvania and Youngstown, Ohio on local stations, before becoming a top rated radio DJ and Program Director in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He spent twelve years at Susquehanna Radio’s WHLO in Akron as one of the WHLO “Good Guys,” radio personalities, and was inducted into the Akron Radio Hall of Fame.
Known for his exceptional on air voice, he moved on to Washington DC to WRC 98, the “Rock of the Capitol,” as the midday personality over the stations highly successful, three-year Top 40 run. Lee Sherwood, first Top-40 PD at WRC, was driving through Ohio, heard Andrews on the air, and knew immediately that Johnny was exactly the voice he was looking for and offered him the job.
After WRC’s Top-40 format was dropped in 1975 for news-talk, Andrews rejoined Susquehanna Broadcasting as Operations Manager of WSBA in York, PA. He later became morning news host, program director and finally VP & General Manager at KTAR Radio in Phoenix, as well as creating and managing FM adult contemporary station KKLT for Pulitzer Broadcasting from 1983 – 1986.
Andrews went on to manage Keymarket Communications of Austin in from 1986 – 1989, and Sinclair Radio of New Orleans from 1989 – 1999. In 2000 Andrews became the manager of Pinnacle Sports, the Nebraska Huskers Radio Network until 2004, before ending his career as General Manager of Salem Communications in Omaha from 2004 – 2007.
Klecic (Andrews) retired in Tampa, Florida, and passed away at Melech Hospice House in Temple Terrace, Florida.
He was preceded in death by a brother: David Klecic.
He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Coleen (Cook) Klecic, two sons, Christopher (wife Christy) of Omaha, NE and Kerry Klecic (wife Adrienne) of Milwaukee, WI and a grandson, Kyle Klecic; a brother Frank Klecic (wife Rita) of Pittsburgh; two sisters: Monica Klecic Lyons (husband Bob) of Pittsburgh and Karen Klecic Pontell (husband Ernie) of Orlando, FL.
