Local broadcasting legend Pat Barry died of complications from COVID-19

Longtime local broadcasting legend Pat Barry died of complications from COVID-19 on Saturday afternoon.

Barry has been a fixture on the Cincinnati-area airwaves for decades, spending time during his career with Q-102, 55-KRC, and Classic Country in Dry Ridge, Ky., Among others. His career spanned local television, working at WLWT and FOX-19, even appearing occasionally on weather broadcasts.

“People were always happy to hear from Pat because he was always so upbeat and positive and that’s what is going to be so hard to be without and that absence is going to be felt,” said Dennis Janson, former WCPO sports director. “It was a tough day.”

A tradesman, Barry grew up learning to play several different musical instruments before embarking on a career in broadcasting.

“He played four or five wind instruments for the Springfield High School Marching Band, but ironically he found his niche in playing other people’s music on the radio when he was 16,” Janson said.

Barry made his Cincinnati airwaves debut at Q-102 in the 1970s and even hosted a studio TV show from the lobby of the Westin Hotel in downtown Cincinnati for a while.

“He had more nephews and nieces than you could use because he was Uncle Pat to so many kids,” Janson said.

Among the children who considered Barry to be an uncle were those of Johnny Bench, former Reds wide receiver and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Bench took to Twitter on Saturday, calling Barry one of his dearest friends.

The Springfield, Ohio native had been battling the COVID-19 virus for about a month and had spent three weeks on a ventilator before passing away on Saturday afternoon.

Funeral and commemorative information has yet to be released.