Herbert Etzel Obituary

Jack Etzel peacefully signed off on June 24, 2025, at the age of 91, with the sole regret that he did not draft this obituary himself. (Or maybe he did, but his family just hasn't found it in the myriad pages of his writing, music, and other memories.) Born in 1934 to Herbert Etzel and Florence Eisele, Jack's life was a wild journey from a childhood in Thunderbolt, GA, and Granite City, IL, to a celebrated career in broadcasting across Pittsburgh and the Midwest. Jack enlisted in the United States Navy band in 1952 as a trombonist, a formative experience that would eventually see this talented musician and composer playing in jazz clubs and driving school buses while studying mass communications at the University of Denver. Jack's reporting career soon took off across eight radio and three television stations, including roles as the news director at WFIE Evansville and the Illinois Bureau Chief for KMOX St. Louis prior to his move to Pittsburgh's WPXI in 1974. With WPXI, Jack created and produced more than 3,700 editions of "Etzel at Large," feature stories of remarkable people and places. Several of these features won Golden Quill, Printer's Devil, and Pittsburgh Black Media Federation awards. In 1989, the "Jack of All Trades" segment debuted on the weekends, where a plaid-shirted Jack guided viewers to confidently tackle home improvements themselves. After his retirement from television in 1997, Jack went on to host "The Handyman Show" for WPTT radio, write for North Hills Monthly Magazine, and teach mass communications at La Roche College. Jack loved fiercely. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Carol; his children Doug, Kristen (Dan), Sarah (Scott), and Megan (Jeremy); and his grandchildren Karma and Erin. He is also survived by the infinite stories he has given them all to continue to tell for decades to come. A private celebration of Jack's life will be held. In lieu of flowers, please celebrate his memory by supporting your local artists and musicians, appreciating a great piece of writing, paying your union dues, extending kindness to an animal, or going for a long drive on a beautiful day. He would have liked you to know that if he could do it, you can do it; he was Jack Etzel. Arrangements were entrusted to OTT FUNERAL HOME INC., 805 Pennsylvania Ave., Irwin, PA 15642. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.ottfuneralhome.com