Alan Dary, Boston radio and television personality passed away peacefully at age 89 at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack NH on October 2, 2009. Born in Shelton, CT, Mr. Dary grew up in Meriden, CT and married Charlotte Hirst, also of Meriden. In his youth he was an avid baseball player, and became a huge Red Sox fan after arriving in Boston. As a World War II veteran he participated in the Invasion of Normandy, and after the war pursued his love of flying by earning a private pilots license. His radio career started in Florida as an announcer at WSUN in Tampa. A move to WBRY in Waterbury, CT brought him back North, after which he settled in Melrose in 1950, helping WORL become the number one station in the city at the time. With a warm, friendly, neighborly style, Mr. Dary was instrumental in changing the stiff announcer style that had preceded him in the broadcast industry. His voice quickly became a household regular on radios all over Boston and the New England area. At the peak of his career at WBZ and WHDH, he was renowned for his Sunday ”Mailbag Show”. He also hosted a late afternoon movie feature called “Boston Movie Time” on WBZ TV, and an interview feature program called “Profiles in Courage” on WHDH TV.
During his broadcast career he had a unique interview style, and interviewed many of the great stars of the era, from Perry Como to Tony Bennett; from Joan Crawford to Alfred Hitchcock. A fan of big bands and the great crooners, he remained true to his love of what he called “good music”, and was never swayed by the growth of rock n roll.
After leaving WHDH, he had a number of stints at various stations in the region and eventually moved to Manchester, NH to join WGIR in the mid ‘70’s. After a few years there and the resurgence of his “good music”, he went back to Boston to WXKS where they had recently introduced The Music of Your Life format. True to the artists and musicians he loved, he signed off with Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” and retired to Londonderry New Hampshire in the late 1980’s. Mr. Dary was a member of the Bellevue Country Club in Melrose, MA where he was also the Bellevue Country Club Ping Pong Champion.
He is predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Charlotte, and survived by his present wife Rita (Backe). In addition, he is survived by his five children, Donna Cogan and her husband Don of Melrose, MA, Sue Wirtanen and her husband Warren of St. Charles, MO, Jim Dary and his wife Sandra of Hampton, NH, Toni Kenna and her husband Bruce of Manchester, NH and Alan Dary of Astoria, NY; his niece Ann Johnson of Detroit, MI, who looked up to him as the big brother she never had. He also leaves three step children, Karin Poland of Florida, Linda Marlow of Iowa, and Glen Backe of Mass. There are also 16 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild (and a second due in January).
Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, October 6th from 4 – 7pm in the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch St., Derry, NH. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 11:00am in the funeral home. The burial will be in the Forest Hill Cemetery in E. Derry. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Community Hospice House, 210 Naticook Rd., Merrimack, NH 03054. To send a condolence or for more information, please visit, www.peabodyfuneralhome.com