Andrew M. Ockershausen (March 14, 1929 – March 17, 2021) was a

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

area radio executive at

WMAL-FM WMAL-FM (105.9 MHz) – branded 105.9 FM WMAL – is a radio station licensed to Woodbridge, Virginia, serving the Washington, D.C. Metro area. WMAL-FM airs a talk radio format and is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station's stud ...

where he served as the manager for 27 years. He also hosted the radio show "Our Town" where he spoke about life in Washington D.C. during the 20th century. He ascended to that title after 10 years working, starting in 1949. He died from medical complications from a fall he suffered in 2021.

Early life and education

Ockershausen was born in Washington, D.C.. He grew up in

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DC where he graduated from Eastern High School in 1947. He attended the

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...

and

American University The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...

Career

Ockershausen began his career as a page in 1949 at WMAL, the powerhouse radio station that dominated Washington airwaves, and rose to general manager in 1965 during a 36-year career there. He joined sports cable network

Home Team Sports NBC Sports Washington is an American regional sports network owned by Ted Leonsis's Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and operates as an affiliate of NBC Sports Regional Networks. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, the channel broadcasts regio ...

in 1986 and was an executive with what became

NBC Sports Washington NBC Sports Washington is an American regional sports network owned by Ted Leonsis's Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and operates as an affiliate of NBC Sports Regional Networks. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, the channel broadcasts regio ...

. Ockershausen created the Andy O. Award which was annually presented to an employee who epitomized dedication, hard work and longevity.

Personal life and death

Ockershausen married 3 times. His first two marriages ended in divorce and in 1993 he married Janice Iacona. The couple remained married until his death Andy Ockershausen died three days after his 92nd birthday on March 17, 2021. He is survived by his wife Janice, two sons from his second marriage and two grandchildren.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ockershausen, Andy Eastern High School (Washington, D.C.) alumni Mass media people from Washington, D.C. American University alumni University of Maryland, College Park alumni