I had lost track of Roger when I had moved to Toronto in 1968 but after he moved here we would bump into each other on rare occasions because as often happens in a relatively small industry, we had a lot of friends in common. Very much later, when my career had blossomed in the management suite, I was back in Montreal when the company I was working for asked me to make the move back to Toronto in 1985. Their flagship station was in trouble and they wanted me to see what I might be able to do.

As my plans for that station unfolded I came to realize I would need the help of a number of backup announcers. Someone suggested I talk with Pat Conlon, who brought a great deal of strength to a station going through a fragile transformation. Patrick, Roger Abbott and I had supper once or twice back then and it was fun catching up and reliving the truly halcyon days of Montreal when that city was at its best, particularly the magical year of Canada's centenary and Expo '67. There is an odd quirk of humour whenever radio people gather and that is the swapping of blooper stories. The funny things that happened and the funny things one person would do to another to produce laughter. That seemed to be Roger's goal in life. To produce laughter, and he was so good at it. When I left radio in 1987, I didn't expect to run into any of those old friends again.

Like the rest of Canada, I had first listened to the Air Farce on the radio and then watched as they transitioned to television. The sense of joy Roger always exhibited was plain from their very first televised show. It is that burst of joyous laughter I will always remember. If there is a lasting image I have of Roger Abbott it is that smiling face you can see in the group photo above, and the absolutely genuine laugh that told you here was a truly happy man.

Somewhere toward the end of 2009 I received an email about a 50th anniversary reunion for CKGM. It had been so long, and the station had gone through so many changes, so many formats, so many people, my instinct was not to go. But Montreal is home and always will be and I was overdue for a visit. At the reunion, I recognized one or two people right away, but the large, crowded Montreal nightclub was packed with faces I did not know. As I had feared too much time had passed. Just as I was making the decision to leave the unmistakable voice of Roger Abbott boomed a greeting to my back. I turned and there he was, smiling, happy, laughing, really glad to see a familiar face. He thought Northernstars was doing a terrific job promoting Canadian film and television and he thanked me for including him. I didn't know what to say. We spent the next several minutes catching up, asking those things you ask at reunions, saying those things you say when you learn why some of the people you had hoped to meet would not be there. Roger eagerly introduced me to the people he was with, and then confided that he would not be staying long. I had told him of my plans to also quietly exit. I never saw him again.

Unpretentious, one of the guys, if you added up those random suppers and chance encounters I had spent only a few hours with him across a span of decades, but on those occasions I was never made to feel I was in the presence of a star, but he was that. The Air Farce had enjoyed an incredibly long run and their annual New Year's specials became one of the highlights of the CBC's broadcast calendar.

Looking back to the 2009 reunion, there was no hint that Roger was ill. He was, for that instant, the happiest man in the room. I'm sure everyone who talked with him would have had that same impression as the above photo of him and Dan Kowal from the reunion website attests. And so it came as shock to learn of his passing on Saturday night. I believe it was part of Roger's nature not to burden people with his troubles. To keep this illness a secret was his way of keeping the laughter going for as long as possible.

As of this date there are plans for a memorial service, but no details have been announced.