We are remembering the president and CEO of East Kentucky Broadcasting, Walter E. May, who passed away last night at his home in Pikeville.
Walter began his broadcast career in the early 1950’s when he was hired at the age of 16 as the first rock and roll disc jockey of WPKE. After the death of Mr. Jack Hatcher, who was the owner of WPKE, May bought a third of the company and became the general manager of East Kentucky Broadcasting. In 1965, two businessmen from Pikeville bought the remaining two-thirds of WPKE. May then bought some stock from both businessmen, bringing his total interest in the company to 50%. In 1966, EKB added another station, WPKE-FM which later became WDHR. May’s vision of providing local news, information, sports and entertainment to the region was achieved with the nine radio stations of East Kentucky Broadcasting and most recently added EKB-TV to broaden the scope of that vision.
May served as president of the Kentucky Broadcasters Association in 1971 and chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters in 1975. He was the recipient of many awards and honors including the Golden Mic Award.
May served as anchor for live broadcast coverage of Apollo 11 moon mission, anchored coverage of all major floods in Eastern Kentucky since 1957 and anchored coverage of the Floyd County school bus disaster in 1957. He interviewed four presidents, Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan. From 1990 to 1993 may served as mayor of the city of Pikeville and was CEO of Pikeville Medical Center, guiding the growth of PMC from a local hospital to a leading trauma center in the region. May also served as chairman of the board of trustees at Pikeville College.
May is survived by his children, Cindy May Johnson, Melody May P’Pool, Christy May Adkins, and Walt May II along with his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a host of loving family and friends.
Walter E. May was 81.
Visitation for Walter May will be Saturday from 4pm-8pm at the First Baptist Church of Pikeville with funeral services Sunday at 2pm at the church.
“Walter May was a mighty warrior for Eastern Kentucky. He built an empire in healthcare and broadcasting in the center of the coalfields to provide better opportunities in the mountains.
“Thanks to his perseverance and savvy business skills, the Pikeville Medical Center now provides jobs to more than 3,000 local people and boasts award-winning medical care as an affiliate of the Mayo Clinic. Marking the heart of a giant, Walter always strived to give back more to the people of Eastern Kentucky, through charity events, more jobs and access to specialized healthcare in the region.
“His voice boomed across the airways at East Kentucky Broadcasting for decades, delivering news to people in the deepest corners of the mountains, and that same voice will continue to echo in our hearts spurring us to carry on the work he started. My wife, Cynthia, and I extend our deepest condolences to Walter’s family and friends. Eastern Kentucky has lost a true champion and a superior friend.”
–U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05)
