R.I.P.: N-J Radio Personality Bob Levy

Bob Levy

Bob Levy, the voice of Ocean County, New Jersey on radio’s WOBM for five decades, died Thursday, March 1, the station has announced.

He was 86, according to USAToday Network.

Levy’s warm tenor, easy-yet-pointed wit and genuine interest in the world around him entertained generations of Ocean County listeners as the area grew from a sandy outpost to a bustling community. Levy of Toms River applied his talents to a range of shows over the years, including the talker “Topic A” on Sundays and local sports broadcasts.

“He was a legend,” said Michele Amabile, disc jockey for WWZY 107.1 The Boss in Long Branch and a correspondent for Variety. “Growing up in Monmouth and Ocean county and listening to his sonorous voice gave inspiration to kids like me who wanted to have a career in radio. We all should be blessed to have the kind of career he had.”

Levy was inducted as a charter member into the New Jersey Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2012 and he’s a member of the Lakewood High School Hall of Fame. The Townsquare Media-owned WOBM 92.7-FM broadcasts out of the Bob Levy Broadcast Center in Toms River.

“His greatest attribute was his honesty,” Williams said. “He didn’t turn the mic on and pretend.”