Monday, July 22, 2013

R.I.P.: KEZR Morning Show Host Bill Kelly Passes

Bill Kelly
Billy Kelly, of the Bill and Marla morning show on Nextmedia’s Hot AC KEZR Mix 106.5 in San Jose,  has passed away.

He was 55 and had been battling cancer for quite some time.

Kelly, whose real name was Mark Haase,  was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 17, 1957.

At the early age of fifteen Mark began what was to become his successful career in radio. Bill graced the airways in locations across the country including Milwaukee, WPJB-FM Providence, Rhode Island, Miami, WTIC-FM Hartford, Connecticut as 'Kelly & Kline" , and New York City ultimately establishing a home in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Jose.

In a Facebook page statement, the station posted: 
Our friend and long time morning host, Bill Kelly, passed away this morning after a long battle with cancer. Bill’s spirit will permanently live within us all. His dedication to entertaining the people of the Silicon Valley is second to none. Bill’s passion in performing morning radio inspired us every day. Bill not only enriched the lives of tens of thousands of listeners, but he was truly an inspiration to his radio family. We were extremely fortunate to have worked with such a positive uplifting person. Please join us in remembering our good times with an amazing individual, Bill Kelly. 
In the coming days and week we will be working hard to celebrate the life and career of Bill Kelly, one of radio’s greatest Morning Show Personalities.

9 comments:

  1. Such sad news....way too young to pass. He was such fun with Marla on the morning show!

    Prayers to his friends and family.......

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  2. Wow how shocking, I didnt't know he was fighting cancer.
    Thoughts and Sayers to his family and friends.

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  3. I WORKED WITH MARK AT 54 WLIX LONG ISLAND.I THINK THIS WAS HIS 2ND STATION AFTER WTHE IN MINEOLA, NY. HE WAS 16 OR 17 AT THE TIME. I HAVE SO MANY COOL MEMORIES AND FUN TIMES WITH MARK. HE IS GREATLY MISSED. DOUG JAMES

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  4. I, too, did not know he was battling cancer. I met him when I won tickets to see Tears For Fears on their comeback 5 years ago. Bill was so much fun and I enjoyed him on the morning show with Marla. My thoughts are with his family and all his friends!

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  5. His iconic voice will definitely be missed in the morning! :( so sad.

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  6. I was stunned when I went on line to see if Bill Kelly had moved to another radio station and found out he had died of cancer. I had not been on the radio for awhile as I re-located and only live 5 min from work. Bill and Marla has kept me entertained so many mornings and it seems I heard Bill not that long ago, maybe two months. I feel bad that I didnt know he was sick. I will miss his voice and his humor and I am sorry to all of you who knew him. RIP Bill Kelly. CE

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  7. I found it out today and I was chocked, that Bill passed on. How sad it is. He was the first radio host that I listened to since coming to the U.S. in 1999. I will miss his especially humor. I am so sorry for his whole family and his partner Marla.

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  8. I just Googled to find out and read the news. I had been wondering what was up on KEZR in the last two weeks and why there was a new male DJ with Marla. I am both shocked and stunned. I had remembered when he was on the San Jose radio station in the early 80's and was glad to find out a year ago that he was the same person who was a tag team of Kelly & Kline. I am so sorry for his entire family and to his partner of many years, Marla.

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  9. Commenting from the future. Would not have known of Bill had it not been for Opie & Anthony's savage Jocktober. It was all in jest, Bill. And you seem to be a nice man. Rest in peace, sir. Frrrrunkis. You are missed.

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