HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — Longtime WZZM-TV news anchor Lee Van Ameyde, who retired in 2016, died Friday, Aug. 30, 2019. He was 66, and had lived for years with diabetes and kidney disease.
He worked at WZZM-TV for 39 years, as a reporter, producer, managing editor, and anchor, earning a slew of journalism and broadcasting awards, including the Edward R. Murrow Award for best investigative reporting, according to his obituary.
Talk of the Talk host Ed VerSchure, himself on medical leave at the moment, worked for decades with Mr. Van Ameyde, and messaged WHTC to say “Lee was very professional in everythng he did, and was a good friend. He will be missed.”
A public visitation for Mr. Van Ameyde will be held at Metcalf and Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Grand Rapids, set for 4-8 p.m. Sept. 26. A GoFundMe campaign to help his family pay for his end-of-life and funeral expenses has, as off Sept. 5, raised nearly $3,000 of the $10,000 goal.
— Peg McNichol contributed to this report.
