Dave Ward, 86, a television icon, has passed away, according to his longtime broadcasting home, ABC13 Houston KTRK.
He is survived by his wife, Laura, three children, and three stepchildren. His son David Jr. passed away in 2023.
Anchor Tom Abrahams broke into the ABC primetime college game broadcast to announce the sad news to the Houston audience.
"Words cannot express my sadness over this larger-than-life Houston icon," former KTRK anchor Art Rascon told mikemcguff.com. "I loved Dave Ward, and working beside him for more than two decades was an absolute blessing! Every day was an opportunity to learn and grow and truly understand what journalism was all about. He was the best and always will be!"
"He was not only a news legend, but a dear and close friend," former KTRK news director Dave Strickland told mikemcguff.com. "I learned so much from Dave, both in television and in life. I will miss him dearly."
"He was a warm, funny, lovely man---and one of Dad's best friends. Such a loss," former KPRC 2 reporter Ron Stone, Jr. told mikemcguff.com.
For 50 years, the powerful yet reassuring voice behind the ABC13 KTRK anchor desk guided the city through breaking news, triumphs, and tragedies. Ward delivered the news with unwavering integrity and authenticity. Each newscast began with his signature greeting: “Good evening, friends.”
Earning that trust meant everything. Ward insisted on balanced coverage, reporting both sides and getting the facts right. That relentless commitment to accuracy—paired with his warm, steady presence—is why he became known as “The Dean of Houston News.”
Since stepping away from the Channel 13 anchor desk in May 2017, Dave has continued sharing stories. His 2019 memoir, Good Evening, Friends: A Broadcaster Shares His Life, offers a rich look at his extraordinary career. He later returned to KTRK for the feature series “Dave Ward’s Houston.”
In 2021, he launched the “Dave Ward & Friends” video podcast, inviting audiences into casual conversations with the many remarkable people he’s met over more than six decades in broadcasting.
"I can recall so many times returning from a reporting trip and talking with him one on one, as he gave me more tips on how to cover a story," Rascon added. "He was always a patient teacher, example, and the epitome of a journalist. I will miss him. I will miss our occasional conversations after he retired, meeting for breakfast, and enjoying his captivating smile. Love you Dave! Your legacy lives on…even from heaven."
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| Mike McGuff and Dave Ward in 2016 |
Early Life
David Henry Ward was born in Dallas on May 6, 1939, though he grew up in Huntsville, Texas, where his father, Henry, served as pastor of the First Baptist Church.
While attending Tyler Junior College, Dave discovered broadcasting almost by accident, watching a fraternity brother spin records at KGKB radio. Soon, he was behind the microphone himself—after the station manager suggested that “David” sounded “too biblical” and the young announcer adopted the name listeners would come to know: Dave Ward.
KGKB’s easy-listening format flipped to rock ’n’ roll overnight with new ownership, and Dave adapted quickly. By the early 1960s, he had moved to WACO radio in Waco, shifting from music to news and eventually becoming program director.
Moving to Houston
In 1962, Dave moved his young family to Houston to join 1230 KNUZ-AM and KQUE, where he read news between Top 40 hits. He was later promoted to news director and ultimately inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, nominated by Houston radio legends Paul Berlin and Arch Yancy.
"Well, at KNUZ, we were very big on the space program, the man space program, because NASA was headquartered in Houston," Ward told mikemcguff in a 2016 interview. "They hadn't built the Space Center yet. They were in the process of building that, but they were in buildings all around the city."
Joining Channel 13
Dave made the leap to television in 1966, becoming KTRK’s sole street reporter and photographer—a true one-man news crew. He shot film on a hand-wound 16mm Bell & Howell camera, covered everything from fires to city hall, and even took his job interview in a Rice Village pool hall.
"The man who hired me. The news director, Ray Conaway," Ward told mikemcguff.com in 2016. "He was an old, B-24 bomber pilot in World War II. And he met Willard Walbridge who was the station manager somewhere in the military. He was the news director and the anchor. We only did 15 minutes at 6:00PM and 15 minutes at 10:00PM. That was it. And, Ray had a very grim, delivery. "Here's the news," you know. And, in '67 they put me on the 7:00AM news, which I didn't even know we had, [laughs] to tell you the truth."
Though Dave initially took a $50 pay cut to move from radio to TV, he was soon anchoring the 7 a.m. newscast and co-hosting the popular “Dialing for Dollars.”
"I went on the 7:00AM in January of '67 and that summer -- it seemed like it was April or May -- they decided they wanted to do this, like a game show in the morning from 9:00 to 10:00," Ward remembered in a 2016 mikemcguff.com interview. "It was an hour-long program. I made six phone calls during that hour, trying to give money away. It was a funny format."
In January 1968, he moved to the main anchor desk at 6 and 10 p.m. with Dan Ammerman. Off the air, he often continued working through the night, covering breaking news around the city.
In those early years, KTRK’s newscasts ranked third in a three-station market. Dave helped change that. Over time, Houstonians embraced Eyewitness News, and by the mid-1970s, channel 13 had climbed to number one—a position it held for decades.
Dave would go on to anchor alongside Jan Carson, Shara Fryer, and Gina Gaston, becoming one of the most recognized faces in Texas broadcasting.
Reporting Across the Globe
Ward’s reporting took him far beyond Houston. He covered national political conventions, the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs from Florida, and major disasters across Texas and the South. He reported from Mexico, Central America, and Colombia; traveled with a Houston delegation to the Paris Peace Talks; and studied mass transit in Germany.
His interviews spanned the spectrum—from U.S. Presidents to everyday Houstonians. Five presidents and Vice President Nelson Rockefeller sat down with him over the years.
- Dave Ward's father did not want him working at KTRK and other stories
- Dave Ward's honor saved by waitress and other radio stories
- Dave Ward traveled with the Houston Oilers for $15
- How Dave Ward found love in charity
Dedicated Community Leader
Dave’s service to Houston extends far beyond the newsroom. He has emceed countless charitable events and served on numerous boards, including Easter Seals, the American Cancer Society, the Leukemia Society, the Press Club of Houston, the Houston Police Foundation, and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. He broadcast the Rodeo Parade for an astounding 49 years.
In 1973, he received the City of Houston Public Service Award for his coverage of the Managua earthquake.
Perhaps his most transformative contribution is his work with Crime Stoppers of Houston. Dave was instrumental in launching the program in 1981, pioneering crime reenactments and helping shape Crime Stoppers chapters worldwide. The first Crime Stoppers headquarters in the United States, which opened in 2016, was named The Dave Ward Building in his honor.
Honors and Legacy
Dave’s accolades are numerous:
Leon Goldstein Award for outstanding service in fighting crime
Regional Emmy for his interviews with Steve Tyrell
Induction into the Silver Circle of the Lone Star Emmy Chapter
Induction into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade Grand Marshal
Induction into the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Hall of Fame
Induction into the Gold Circle of the Lone Star Emmy Chapter
Dave Ward honored with street name next to ABC13 Houston studios
KTRK Anchor Emeritus Dave Ward Plaque unveiling and dedication ceremony
Most notably, Dave holds a Guinness World Record:
**“The longest career as a television news broadcaster—49 years and 218 days”—**all at the same station, on the same newscast.
A remarkable achievement for a remarkable man.
Dave Ward's career is not simply a record of journalism. It is the story of a trusted voice, a steady presence, and a lifelong commitment to the city he loves...one “Good evening, friends” at a time.
