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Beyond the Byline: My encounter with L.A. Tarone

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<p>Sue Henry and Louis Alfred &#8220;L.A.&#8221; Tarone shared a &#8220;unique friendship&#8221; that predated their time as WILK radio colleagues.</p><p>So it comes as no surprise Henry called Tarone &#8220;our MVP&#8221; after he died Sunday at age 58 after a battle with lung cancer.</p><p>Henry said she had known Tarone for 30 years, going back to her days as a student at King&#8217;s College. Tarone graduated in 1983, when Henry was just learning her way around campus.</p><p>&#8220;He was still around,&#8221; she said, thankful she was able to meet and learn from her idol. More recently, the two worked together at WILK Newsradio in Pittston Township.</p><p>Tarone began his radio career at King&#8217;s on the college station in 1979, according to his biography on WILK&#8217;s website. Between then and his time at WILK, he worked at several radio stations and as a reporter for the Hazleton Standard-Speaker. He also wrote a book, &#8220;We Were Here Once,&#8221; according to the website.</p><p>He was known for his 70s-style attire, raspy voice and rapid-fire manner of speech.</p><p>Henry said she was with Tarone when he was first diagnosed in November 2015 at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. The Black Friday appointment coincided with the radio station&#8217;s airing of &#8220;A Christmas Carol&#8221; where Tarone played a &#8220;pitch perfect&#8221; Scrooge.</p><p>&#8220;And we laughed and laughed,&#8221; Henry said about listening to the play.</p><p>Nancy Kman, WILK program director, said Tarone had wanted his show moved from the evening spot to the afternoon. He got his wish just as he began his battle with cancer.</p><p>&#8220;I think he was satisfied,&#8221; Kman said.</p><p>Kman and Tarone didn&#8217;t see eye-to-eye on politics, but she said Tarone was open to hearing everyone&#8217;s point of view.</p><p>&#8220;He was respectful &#8230; not a knee-jerk reaction,&#8221; Kman recalled.</p><p>Co-worker Karel Zubris wasn&#8217;t surprised when Tarone was diagnosed with cancer.</p><p>&#8220;He enjoyed his cigarettes,&#8221; Zubris said.</p><p>Zubris helped convince Tarone to join his WILK pals at parades and other events, especially after the diagnosis.</p><p>&#8220;He was always a good sport,&#8221; Zubris said.</p><p>Shortly before he died, Zubris, Kman, Henry and other radio personalities gathered with Tarone&#8217;s family and friends at his bedside at Guardian Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Nanticoke.</p><p><strong>&#8216;He had more to say&#8217;</strong></p><p>Kathleen Smith, of Ashley, had known Tarone for four years thanks to historical events in Hazleton. Smith, who is with the Daughters of the American Revolution, said Tarone would always make time to talk to her.</p><p>She said she visited with him last week and had planned to accompany him on a walk when she visited Sunday. But when she arrived, she knew there would be no walk due to his condition.</p><p>&#8220;I fully expected it,&#8221; she said of Tarone&#8217;s passing.</p><p>Smith said she went around to churches in Nanticoke to find a pastor who would pray with Tarone and his family. She found Pastor Joseph Roach and his wife, who got in the car &#8220;with a perfect stranger&#8221; as she took them to the facility where they were able to say some final prayers.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m thrilled to be able to do that,&#8221; she said, recalling her final few hours with the radio host. She remembers Tarone as a &#8220;character, true gentleman, dedicated history buff and an all-around wonderful guy.&#8221;</p><p>While the Roaches, of First Primitive Methodist Church, were visiting, everyone began singing &#8220;Amazing Grace.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;I hope it brought a sense of peace,&#8221; Smith said.</p><p>Kman was glad to be one of Tarone&#8217;s final visitors.</p><p>&#8220;He&#8217;ll never be replaced,&#8221; she said, noting that someone will eventually take his radio spot, but it won&#8217;t be the same. &#8220;He was who you heard on the radio.&#8221;</p><p>Kman said she grieves for him because she knows he &#8220;fought this until the very end,&#8221; noting he was in pain for a few weeks before he took leave from the station.</p><p>&#8220;He had much more to say,&#8221; Kman said. &#8220;But he was concerned about us (at WILK) and our listeners.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">L.A. Tarone was known for his knowledge of sports, politics and music as well as his penchant for &#8217;70s-style attire. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_LATarone2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>L.A. Tarone was known for his knowledge of sports, politics and music as well as his penchant for &#8217;70s-style attire. </caption0><photoCredit0>Photos courtesy of WILK Newsradio via Facebook </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_LAtarone-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_LAtarone-1.jpg</photo1><caption1></caption1><photoCredit1>Photos courtesy of WILK Newsradio via Facebook </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Media personality L.A. Tarone remembered as ‘true gentleman’