R. Edward Lopez
Encyclopedia
R. Edward "Bob" Lopez was a newsman and morning radio personality on Baltimore
's 98Rock
. Joining the station in 1978, Lopez participated in 13 morning radio shows during his 27 years at the station. He was known for his humor, thoughtful opinions, and dogged liberal views.
In the late 1980s, he co-hosted with Bob Rivers
. For the last part of his career, he was part of the "Kirk, Mark & Lopez" or "KML" morning show, along with Kirk McEwen and Mark Ondayko
, with whom he worked for seven years. He also hosted the Sunday Lopez, a Sunday morning talk show where he discussed politics and listeners called in to express their views. The Sunday Lopez was preceded by the longer-running The Spanish Inquisition, in the same time slot with the same format. Lopez held the national record for longest tenure for a news man at a rock station.
Lopez grew up in Prince George's County, Maryland
, and attended the University of Maryland, College Park
, getting his first on-air experience at the campus radio station, WMUC-FM
. He later worked at WLMD, a small AM station in Laurel, Maryland
, earning $2.25 an hour, before moving to Baltimore in 1977 and joining 98Rock in 1978.
Lopez was diagnosed with lung cancer
in February 2004, having been a smoker for several decades, starting at age 12. He continued to participate in the Kirk, Mark & Lopez radio show while undergoing chemotherapy
and radiation therapy
. During his treatment, Lopez and his co-hosts made his cancer a frequent source of humor on air, remarking that his hair loss made him look like Uncle Fester
. After a long and public battle with the disease, Lopez died at the age of 52. He was survived by his wife of 21 years and his 13-year-old daughter, Leandra.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
's 98Rock
WIYY
WIYY is a radio station in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, owned by the Hearst Corporation. WIYY broadcasts an Mainstream Rock format that mixes music popular in the modern rock, heavy metal and classic rock genres...
. Joining the station in 1978, Lopez participated in 13 morning radio shows during his 27 years at the station. He was known for his humor, thoughtful opinions, and dogged liberal views.
In the late 1980s, he co-hosted with Bob Rivers
Bob Rivers
Bob Rivers is a well-known American rock and roll radio on air personality in the Pacific Northwest as well as a prolific producer of parody songs, most famous for his Christmas song parodies....
. For the last part of his career, he was part of the "Kirk, Mark & Lopez" or "KML" morning show, along with Kirk McEwen and Mark Ondayko
Mark Ondayko
Michael "Mark" Ondayko is a former American radio broadcaster and co-host of the Kirk and Mark morning show on Baltimore's radio station WHFS .Ondayko is a native of Middletown, Pennsylvania, and had worked in radio since 1978...
, with whom he worked for seven years. He also hosted the Sunday Lopez, a Sunday morning talk show where he discussed politics and listeners called in to express their views. The Sunday Lopez was preceded by the longer-running The Spanish Inquisition, in the same time slot with the same format. Lopez held the national record for longest tenure for a news man at a rock station.
Lopez grew up in Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
, and attended the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, getting his first on-air experience at the campus radio station, WMUC-FM
WMUC-FM
WMUC-FM is the student-run non-commercial radio station licensed to the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, broadcasting at 10 watts...
. He later worked at WLMD, a small AM station in Laurel, Maryland
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
, earning $2.25 an hour, before moving to Baltimore in 1977 and joining 98Rock in 1978.
Lopez was diagnosed with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in February 2004, having been a smoker for several decades, starting at age 12. He continued to participate in the Kirk, Mark & Lopez radio show while undergoing chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
and radiation therapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
. During his treatment, Lopez and his co-hosts made his cancer a frequent source of humor on air, remarking that his hair loss made him look like Uncle Fester
Uncle Fester
Gordon Craven, Uncle Fester, or Fester Addams, is a member of the fictional Addams Family. He was played by Jackie Coogan in the original television series, by Christopher Lloyd in the first two feature films, and by Patrick Thomas in the third, Addams Family Reunion. Finally, Michael Roberds...
. After a long and public battle with the disease, Lopez died at the age of 52. He was survived by his wife of 21 years and his 13-year-old daughter, Leandra.