With profound sadness, we announce that David Ward, longtime CKUA host and program director, has died from cancer.
We are in pieces. For over 40 years, David was a colleague, mentor, inspiration and friend to so many in the immediate CKUA community. He was also a friend to untold thousands more, forging close connections with listeners, donors and volunteers as host of some of our most popular programs.
His joy, his laughter, and his smile will be missed. Our thoughts are with his wife Lois, stepdaughters Brita and Haley, and the rest of his beloved family.
In the coming days and weeks, we will honour his legacy. In the meantime, we will take the time to grieve, cry, and celebrate all that he did to enrich our lives and our community.
We will miss you, David. Rest well.
We are all shocked and saddened by this loss. As we reflect on David’s life and legacy, we want to invite the CKUA community to participate in our collective farewell. Please continue to visit our website, where we will be sharing additional information as it develops, including plans for on-air tributes and musical programming.
We invite you to share your thoughts, memories, and stories of David.
Sign a digital memory book
Share your memories on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
Send an email to tribute@ckua.com
You may also wish to share a story through audio:
OpenMic feature on the CKUA app (30 second max)
Voice memo (record on your phone) and email to tribute@ckua.com
We thank all of the people who have started to add their own voices to the chorus of people who are remembering David fondly. David loved this community and believed in the power of togetherness and music. We hope that as we grieve together, this community will sustain us.