Ducks Mourn Loss of Jonz
02/27/24 | General
Long-time local radio personality and voice of UO women's basketball Terry Jonz passed away last week.
Terry Jonz, a long-time local radio personality and the voice of Oregon women's basketball since 2005, passed away with his family by his side on Feb. 20.
A native of Eugene, Jonz was a DJ and program director in local radio before joining the Oregon Sports Network as engineer for UO men's basketball broadcasts in 1997. He began in the same position for football broadcasts the following year, and for the last two decades hosted the football pregame show and also was play-by-play voice for UO women's basketball.
Jonz passed away after a nearly year-long battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was 70.
"Not a lot of words can express the feelings of loss and love for a wonderful man who was very much like a brother, and so beloved by the fans," said Jerry Allen, the voice of the Ducks and a colleague to Jonz in local radio going back decades. "I'm sure he has a courtside seat in heaven, waiting for us to join him one day to get the old broadcast team back together."
Born on April 1, 1953, Jonz attended Willamette High School in Eugene and then Oregon State, where he played baseball. He eventually settled with his wife, Stacy, and four daughters in Creswell. The couple had three grandchildren.
Jonz worked in FM radio for local stations Magic 94.5 and Star 102.3, and got his start in sports calling Cottage Grove High School games on KNND before broadcasting high school state tournaments in football, basketball and baseball in the 1980s. He began working with OSN in 1997, eventually becoming an on-air voice for football and women's basketball broadcasts.
"The entire Oregon women's basketball family is mourning the loss of Terry, whose passion for the program and the people in it was unparalleled," UO women's basketball coach Kelly Graves said. "We all miss his enthusiasm for our Ducks on the air and off, and the professionalism he brought to his broadcasts. We've lost a man I considered not just a colleague but a friend, and my thoughts go out to his family at this difficult time."
It's estimated that Jonz contributed to more than 1,500 broadcasts for UO athletics in various roles over the years. A celebration of life is being planned by his family for later this spring.
"Terry has been a part of the OSN family for years, and as the women's basketball team's broadcaster his voice is forever part of their history," said Kelly Schukart, vice president and general manager of Oregon Sports Properties. "We can all remember his call of the Ducks' victory over Mississippi State in 2019 that sent the Oregon women to their first Final Four.
"But more than the fantastic radio personality that he was, Terry was a loving father and grandfather. He was a strong voice for female student-athletes. He was a devoted Duck, an incredible teammate, and an even better friend. We will miss him tremendously, and our thoughts are with his family and everyone else his huge heart touched."
A native of Eugene, Jonz was a DJ and program director in local radio before joining the Oregon Sports Network as engineer for UO men's basketball broadcasts in 1997. He began in the same position for football broadcasts the following year, and for the last two decades hosted the football pregame show and also was play-by-play voice for UO women's basketball.
Jonz passed away after a nearly year-long battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was 70.
"Not a lot of words can express the feelings of loss and love for a wonderful man who was very much like a brother, and so beloved by the fans," said Jerry Allen, the voice of the Ducks and a colleague to Jonz in local radio going back decades. "I'm sure he has a courtside seat in heaven, waiting for us to join him one day to get the old broadcast team back together."
Born on April 1, 1953, Jonz attended Willamette High School in Eugene and then Oregon State, where he played baseball. He eventually settled with his wife, Stacy, and four daughters in Creswell. The couple had three grandchildren.
Jonz worked in FM radio for local stations Magic 94.5 and Star 102.3, and got his start in sports calling Cottage Grove High School games on KNND before broadcasting high school state tournaments in football, basketball and baseball in the 1980s. He began working with OSN in 1997, eventually becoming an on-air voice for football and women's basketball broadcasts.
"The entire Oregon women's basketball family is mourning the loss of Terry, whose passion for the program and the people in it was unparalleled," UO women's basketball coach Kelly Graves said. "We all miss his enthusiasm for our Ducks on the air and off, and the professionalism he brought to his broadcasts. We've lost a man I considered not just a colleague but a friend, and my thoughts go out to his family at this difficult time."
It's estimated that Jonz contributed to more than 1,500 broadcasts for UO athletics in various roles over the years. A celebration of life is being planned by his family for later this spring.
"Terry has been a part of the OSN family for years, and as the women's basketball team's broadcaster his voice is forever part of their history," said Kelly Schukart, vice president and general manager of Oregon Sports Properties. "We can all remember his call of the Ducks' victory over Mississippi State in 2019 that sent the Oregon women to their first Final Four.
"But more than the fantastic radio personality that he was, Terry was a loving father and grandfather. He was a strong voice for female student-athletes. He was a devoted Duck, an incredible teammate, and an even better friend. We will miss him tremendously, and our thoughts are with his family and everyone else his huge heart touched."
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