JJ Archer (KCSR Photo)
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John Archerd Howard Jr. of Chadron, age 38, better known in Western Nebraska as JJ Archer, passed away Saturday, February 16, 2008, at Regionl West Medical Center in Scottsbluff after a brief illness. He was born in Kearney, Nebraska on September 2, 1969 to Frances and John Howard.
JJ lived in Kearney until 1987. He graduated from Kearney High School in 1987, and the day after graduation, he joined his father in the broadcasting business in Chadron. Since 1987 he had been spent the majority of his broadcast career at KCSR Radio. JJ did assist KQSK radio this winter by serving as in studio engineer for several Chadron State College basketball broadcasts.
He held a very high regard for Dennis and Kathi Brown, who own and operate KCSR. JJ enjoyed the broadcasting business very much and excelled in production, copy writing and easy-listening announcing. Some of his best friends were fellow employees at KCSR.
JJ was proud to be a broadcaster, and one of his favorite projects was producing and directing the CD of the 2006 forest fires in Dawes and Sioux Counties. Hundreds of those CD's were sold and the money went to the Chadron Volunteer Fire Department. He was helped in that project with two fellow KCSR employees, JoDee Serres and Mike Trueblood. JJ had the highest regard for the fire fighters and enjoyed broadcasting live from the fire hall each year during the CVFD's open house and spaghetti feed.
He also loved the outdoors and enjoyed nature and, as an amateur artist, spent hours drawing, painting and photographing and wood-carving nature. JJ enjoyed conversing with people.
Immediate Survivors include his mother; Frances Howard of Kearney, father; John A. Howard of Chadron, sisters; Renee Landstrom and husband Larry of Axtell, NE, Vanessa Crawley and husband Jason of Kearney, nieces; Rebecca and Megan Crawley of Kearney, nephews; Aaron and Jason Landstrom of Axtell.
Funeral services will be Thursday, February 21, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church in Chadron with Father Edward Cortney officiating. Burial will be at a later date at the Kearney Cemetery. A memorial has been established for the Chadron Volunteer Fire Department, which may be sent to KCSR Radio, First National Bank of Chadron, or directly to the Chadron Volunteer Fire Department.
Now as JJ would say, "I'll be right back after a word from our sponsors."
