Jim Hault, a multi-talented Vancouver and Edmonton radio personality, passed away from heart failure at his home in Vancouver on February 3, 2023 at the age of 84. He will be forever remembered by his life's partner of 54 years, Diana Tchakalian.
Born in Calgary and raised in Edmonton, Jim loved sports. He played hockey for the Canadian Athletic Club Midgets in his teens and went on to play guard for the Edmonton Huskies football team. In 1959, the Huskies won the Alberta Junior Football Championship, defeating the Edmonton Wildcats in a best of three playoff. Jim also played tackle for the Edmonton Rams and scored the first touchdown of his career in 1962 during an 82-0 blowout against the Red Deer Regals.
Jim started in radio at CFGP in Grande Prairie, AB. In his own words, "I had no specific training aside from a gift for fooling around." He hosted mornings at CJCA Edmonton from 1962 to 1967. Probably one of Jim's greatest radio stunts came in August 1965, when he "exiled" himself to sleeping in the press box at Clarke Stadium until the Eskimos won their first game of the season. The Esks finally won in September, beating Saskatchewan 24-22. His niece, Kelly Hault of Edmonton fondly remembers him as always being a "cool uncle".
In 1967, Jim moved to Vancouver and went on to a distinguished career at CJOR (1967-68), CKLG (1968-73), CFUN (1973-82), and CKNW (1983-92). He was a gifted character voice, entertaining his radio listeners as outspoken granny Big Alice, cooking expert Sheldon Wang, Ben Gay and many others.
Jim was known as a consummate professional and a sought-after commercial voice-over talent. For 10 years he was the "voice" of news for the Global Network until he retired in 2011. Over the years, he narrated many documentary projects including Coquihalla - Highway 5: 20 Months Through the Mountains, Vancouver: Focus on Expo 86, Battle for the Trees and the White Pass & Yukon Railway.
Golf was Jim's passion. He started playing at Edmonton's Victoria Golf Club and throughout his life participated in many charity golf tournaments. Jim played golf at all the major golf courses in the Lower Mainland, but his favourites were Fraserview and McCleery. Some golf highlights include being senior champion at Vancouver's McCleery Club four times between 1996 and 2002 and playing for 17 years in a row in Kelowna's Ogopogo Golf Tournament. Jim's quick wit and dry humour was evident on the course: "I had a good golf day. I didn't fall out of the cart once!"
A Celebration of Life will be announced in the near future. If you wish to honour Jim's memory, please consider donating to NABS, a support system for Canadian professionals in the communications industry. Details at donorbox.org/nabs-general
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Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.vancouvercrematorium.com for the Hault family.
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