Bruce Ryan

The smooth, deep-voiced Ryan hosted top-rated shows on the old WGAR-AM, WZZP-FM and WLTF-FM,
including "Music Magazine"and "Golden Age of Rock and Roll."  He often teamed with his wife, Carol Hoffman,
known on the air as Tracy St. John,  or with record collector Steve Petryszyn.

Ryan was education director for the Ohio Center for Broadcasting. For a time, he also doubled as national education director of the Ohio and Illinois Centers for Broadcasting, which has six campuses in three states (including Colorado).

Check out the beautiful tribute former student 
Brian Travalik put together to honor him. 

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Ryan also raised dogs, refereed high school baseball and football and restored a 1914 Pennsylvania Railroad car.

"He was about 5 foot 8, but that voice was as big as a mountain," said former newscaster Ed Byers, who worked with Ryan at several stations. "He could do anything as a broadcaster, and do it well. He was on the air the night John Lennon was shot, and put together a documentary on the fly that was one of the best pieces I've ever heard."

Ryan greeted friends with "Happy Monday!" or whatever day of the week it was. He often said, "I don't have any complaints."

He spoke his mind on and off the air. Said St. John, "He pounded the kitchen table and podiums at the schools, determined to instill his passion for life and work in others."

Ryan was raised in Three Rivers, Mich. At 18, he worked fueling, sanding and cleaning diesel locomotives.

He earned an associate's degree at Glen Oaks Community College, then left Central Michigan University just short of a degree to take a full-time gig. He met his future wife at a station in Kalamazoo, Mich., and the couple later lived in Grand Rapids, Cincinnati, Middleburg Heights and Cleveland.

Ryan helped pioneer golden oldies in Cleveland, broadcasting here from 1979 through 1997. He played doo-wop, psychedelic and more.

He and St. John seldom mentioned their marriage on air but often hinted. Once, after covering a dog show, he said, "They're nice dogs. They don't growl at me like you do."

"That's because they don't know you like I do," she replied.

For many years, he spun oldies weekly at the Cleveland Hilton South. He also spoke in promos, a documentary, national commercials for Kraft-Maid and Convenience Food Marts and local commercials for the RTA.

Ryan built a big model railroad set in his basement. He loved to ride trains or watch them, especially in Berea and Olmsted Falls. He often leased out his Pennsy car for tailgate parties at Browns and Indians games.

-By Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer 2011  *Plain Dealer reporter Tom Feran contributed to this article.