Ronald Jaye Krauth, a longtime fixture in Pittsburgh broadcast news, known on the air as “Ron Jaye,” died last week in his Allegheny County home.
A spokesman for WPXI News, where Krauth spent the better part of three decades on the air, said the news staff there is mourning the death of the retired reporter, talk show host and news anchor.
Krauth, 86, died peacefully, surrounded by his wife Mary Jane and family.
The late newsman, who was born in Buffalo, N.Y. on Oct. 3, 1934, began his career in broadcasting in 1958 as a disc jockey in Buffalo and later moved to Cleveland as a news anchor before landing in Pittsburgh in 1965 at WIIC, the precursor of WPXI.
According to an online obituary, he worked at WPXI-TV for nearly 35 years, from 1965-2000, with a break in the 1980s as the “Man-on-the-Move” at WTAE-Radio. While at WIIC, he hosted the region’s first late night call-in television talk show.
Krauth considered Pittsburgh his adopted hometown and was an sports fan, counting the Steelers, Pirates and Pitt football among his favorite pastimes, family members said in his obituary.
In addition to his wife of six decades, Krauth is survived by two daughters Amy Wingarden Laura Erskin and two sons, Daniel and David Krauth; nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
The family requested that memorial donations be directed to The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, (412) 460-3663.
