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Last night's 10 o'clock news on Channel 7 led off with the news that former anchor and award-winning journalist John Drury died after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease). Mr. Drury was 80 years old.
The Peoria native was an institution on local airwaves for forty years. His resume included a stint at Channel 2 and two tours of duty at Channel 9, but it was Mr. Drury's time at Channel 7 for which he will be most associated. He returned to the ABC affiliate in 1984 to anchor the top-rated 10 o'clock newscast, and held the chair - and the top position in the ratings - until his retirement in 2002.
Shortly after Mr. Drury retired, he was diagnosed with ALS. A news segment that ran on ABC 7 last year showed the gravity of Mr. Drury's condition. Unable to speak and confined to a wheelchair or to his bed, his mind was still sharp.
Mr. Drury is survived by his wife Ann, four children and ten grandchildren.
Photo via ABC 7.
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He had a great voice. I'm shocked to hear he had ALS. What a miserable way to go! RIP, John.
He was anchor in the days when we did not have 80 different TV channels. Hence, Chicago's local news anchors were much bigger stars in those days.
Also, any of you who visited the Hancock Observatory in the 1980's and some of 1990's, John Drury was your audio host in the elevator on the way up, welcoming you and telling all the facts about the building.
Very Sad. I really don't remember much Chicago news WITHOUT Drury while growing up!
I remember loving that soft,firm,voice when he would detail the continued arrival of so much snow that we knew school would be called in the morning. My Mom would let me stay up late on those nights. It was so exciting, sort of like news of the coming zombie apocalypse to an 11 year old mind