Remembering Dave Chaffin [UPDATE]

Update: (2:25 p.m.) 

Dave's memorial service will be held Friday, December 12 @ 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church on Pershing Blvd.

I was very sad to hear the news that Dave Chaffin had died after a long battle with cancer.

I will never forget when he came to me in July of 2001 and told me about a new talk show he was planning to do on KGAB. He said the show would be a mixture of news, current affairs, politics, and commentary and asked if I wanted to be a part of it. I said sure. That is how "The Morning Zone" began. I am not sure either one of us realized what we were getting ourselves into, but we knew it was going to be an adventure.

The show started slow talking about local and national topics. We had guests ranging from political commentators to local law enforcement and local politicians.

I remember on September 11, 2001, I was filling in for Dave while he and his family tried to go on vacation. When the news stories started coming in I received a call from Dave from DIA, relating what he was hearing and seeing there. Dave, ever the professional, turned around and headed back to work in Cheyenne. What I remember most about that day and the months to follow is Dave's professionalism, even though I know he was devastated by the events of 9-11 as we all were.

That professionalism is what made him such a great host. No matter who the guest was or what their opinion was, whether he agreed with them or not, he let them speak. In fact he often asks questions to induce the guest to talk freely. He also made sure he was prepared every morning and always came into the studio in an upbeat mood.

We co-hosted morning show until about 2007, when my news commitment took me away from being on the show full-time.

Dave retired from KGAB in January of 2014 due to his illness and to spend more time with his family. His final show, which included numerous guests including Wyoming's Congressional Delegation, 2 governors, county commissioners, the mayor and representatives from local law enforcement, LCCC as well as several national guests, was a testament to Dave's legacy on the "Morning Zone."

What I remember most about Dave is his love for his family, his church and Cheyenne, the community which he grew up in. Dave was my friend and I will miss him.