Gary Fruin, who for 34-years held down the early-morning shift for K-LITE radio station — along with his co-host, Catherine Remak — died at age 68 earlier this week from complications arising from a relapse of the esophageal cancer he thought he had beaten a few years ago.
As a radio host, Fruin was steady, calm, welcoming, and quietly playful; his role was to help listeners connect the dots between their lives and what their hometown — whether by birth or adoption — has to offer. As such, he and Remak functioned as a community bulletin board for organizations trying to get the word out, though with some friendly banter thrown in for good measure.
Fruin, a certified sports nut originally from Connecticut, was honored last year with a proclamation of appreciation from Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse and the City Council as part of a celebration of National Radio Day. For Fruin, it was an ambush of love; the council chambers were filled to capacity and then some.
His wife, Camille Cimini Fruin, has been a sales executive at the Santa Barbara Independent from its earliest days.
