Page 33 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2024 - Online Magazine
P. 33
LOCAL LEGENDS LOCAL LEGENDS
LEGENDARY ON
Many Levels
Kurt Kiser
by Vickie Walters
Bob, worked for Esso, which is joined forces for five years at KLBK.
now Exxon/Mobil. Kurt’s mother He worked there until September
returned to the states so he could 1999, then went to work for
be born on American soil in case he Alamosa PCS, a Sprint PCS affiliate,
ever wanted to be President of the as their marketing and public
United States. Spoiler alert … he is relations coordinator. He loved that
never running for president! job and remains friends to this day
with several of his co-workers.
After nine years in Venezuela,
the family moved to Australia., In August 2011, Kurt returned to
where they lived in Melbourne television on Fox 34, anchoring
for four years, then a smaller alongside Jeff Klotzman. It was
town called Sale in the state of unusual for two men to share
Victoria. He considers Australia the anchor desk, especially two
his second country and fell in love men with white hair! They were
with Australian football there, nicknamed the silver foxes and
specifically the Hawthorn Hawks. anchored together for seven years.
He still gets up in the middle of the It’s a friendship that Kurt treasures
t has been almost 30 years since night on weekends to watch their to this day. His co-anchor for the
Kurt Kiser first came to Lubbock. games live, texting back-and-forth next two years was Rachel Reagan,
IWhen you hear his name, you with his son, Jason, who lives in whom he ‘adopted’ as his daughter
may think of nightly news or “Kurt Melbourne. He is a sports fanatic, since he had three sons. Kurt began
Talk” on the Fox 34 television especially for Texas Tech and the St. “Kurt Talk” about three years before
station, but there is much more to Louis Cardinals. returning to Fox 34. He eventually
this Lubbock legend. compiled these inspirational short
Southern Illinois University in
Kurt was born in Marion, Indiana Carbondale, Illinois is Kurt’s stories into a book about ten years
on November 10, 1958. He is the alma mater. He majored in radio/ ago. He still posts past “Kurt Talks”
middle child of an older sister and TV broadcasting, with a minor in on his Facebook page. He enjoyed
younger brother and has always speech. He is one of few people in his time in both radio and television
called himself the troubled middle America who actually used both and feels most comfortable
child. His siblings were kind degrees in his profession. Kurt came speaking and performing in front of
enough to tell him recently that to Lubbock in 1995 after living in crowds because he loves sharing his
he does not have to use that title Odessa for ten years. He worked at life with others.
anymore due to his unwavering KLBK, Channel 13, as a co-anchor There are many fond memories of
commitment to caring for their with Becky Neighbors. He and Lubbock, but at the top of Kurt’s
100-year-old father. He was born Becky worked for opposing stations list would be performing at the
in Indiana, but his family lived in the Midland/Odessa market but Cactus Theater. He was asked
in Venezuela, where his father,
Lubbock Senior Link 33
