Very sad news — Lois Bent of Yellowstone Public Radio passed away yesterday after an 18-month battle with cancer. Here’s a brief article from the Billings Gazette.
Is there anyone in classical radio who didn’t know Lois Bent? Lois was always interested in the ideas of others and the new programming they came up with, especially anything choral. She showed up at every radio meeting and made it a point to meet the newbies and greet her old friends. She was delighted about everything in our crazy business.
I know you all have stories to share, so let’s hear ’em.
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That is very sad news about Lois Bent. She was so much fun at the conferences when we used to hang out together. She worked so hard, too. I will miss her.
She wrote the book on joy, gusto and perspective.
Sad news indeed. I always enjoyed calling YPR because it meant a chance to chat with Lois. I first met her at a PRPD Conference, where we happened to sit together on a shuttle to one of the events, and we discovered that we were both performers, I an actor, she a singer. She was always curious, enthusiastic and supportive of my “real” career, and always had interesting and funny tales of her own vocation and avocation. It may have been only a slight acquaintance, but she was one of those people who planted friendship and good humor like a flag wherever she went, and I feel lucky to have known her. My condolences to her family and to her co-workers at YPR.
I worked with Lois for 18 years and have been communicating with people across the public radio community as they call, e-mail, or write to say how much they will miss her joy and spirit.
She will truly be missed here at YPR. We’ve set up a page to remember her at http://www.ypradio.org/about/lois.html
Ken Siebert
Interim General Manager, Yellowstone Public Radio
I only found out today about Lois’s death, and my heart is heavy indeed. Lois and I traveled together in Turkey in 2005 and in Iran two years later. What a fabulous traveling companion, producer and friend. I spoke to her for more than an hour five months back, and she seemed so optimistic, with big dreams about the future, new journeys she still planned to take. I wanted to come see her, but she said, Give me a little more time, honey, I’m still on the mend. Such a sad loss. I’ll never forget Lois.