Herschel “Hank” Conner, former WUFT radio and television personality and University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Telecommunication professor emeritus, passed away in Gainesvllle on Aug. 14, he was 86.
Conner began his 49-year affiliation with WUFT in 1966. He produced, directed and hosted many WUFT programs, including "Conner Calling" on WUFT-FM and "Florida Weekend Gardener" on WUFT-TV, while also teaching classes in broadcast production. After retiring from teaching in 2003, he continued to host “Conner Calling” weekly on WUFT-FM until 2015.
National Public Radio picked up and broadcast Conner's adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum," which he directed for WUFT-FM. He also produced and directed a number of documentaries, including "Walk a Crooked Mile," which won an award as an outstanding mental health film in 1976. As an actor, he appeared in the television dramas “Catherine’s Story” (1999) and “Santa Rules” (2007), both directed by his friend James Babanikos, UFCJC professor emeritus.
Conner was preceded in death by his beloved wife Jerre who he collaborated with on two documentaries. The family will hold a memorial event at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you use this link to give in memory of Hank Conner: wuft.org/conner. Read the Gainesville Sun obituary here.
The audio attached to this story is the final show of "Conner Calling," which aired on August 21, 2015.