Don Rodewald

Don Rodewald was born in Bakersfield in 1927. He graduated from East Bakersfield High School in 1944 where he was Class President. He was a Bombardier-Gunner in the Navy where he met his wife, Shirley, also in the Navy. Don attended BC and the College of the Pacific in Stockton where he earned his BA, the first of his family to attend college. He then earned his radio engineer’s license in San Francisco before returning to Bakersfield. He worked as a DJ for KWSO in Wasco from 1951 to 1955 and then worked at KERO-TV as an announcer and on-air talent until 1973. He was well-known in the community for his “Afternoon Show”. In 1973 he earned a teaching credential and then started teaching speech and communications and producing promotional videos for the College. He later became the Public Information Officer at BC. He retired from teaching in 1987. He and his wife Shirley traveled extensively and were avid birdwatchers. They had two daughters, Judy and April. Don passed away in 2013.