Veteran broadcaster Edwin Lee Ver Schure has died. He was 76.
Mr. Ver Schure started his career in 1963 at WHTC, moving in 1971 to WGRD and then to WLAV in Grand Rapids in 1972. Almost everyone called him “Ed” or “Eddie.”
He was born on March 25, 1945, to a critically ill mother in Grand Haven, who died three days later. His biological father gave him up for adoption by Fred and Wilma Ver Schure of Holland. Ed grew up on the 200 block of 28th Street in Holland, with a younger sister Mary Lou Ver Schure, all of whom preceded him in death. He graduated from Holland Christian High School in 1963. Later in life, he met his biological brother who, in a twist of fate, was also named Ed.
After a 33-year stint at WZZM TV-13 in Grand Rapids, as a booth announcer, weather announcer, and late-night anchor, he bought and operated WEVS 92.7 FM — now 92.7 The Van — in Saugatuck in 1987.
Ed also hosted a three-hour afternoon talk show on WHTC in Holland, from 2000-2010. His guests included Ron Paul, Tony Orlando, Ronnie Milsap, Joe Theisman, Ed McMahon, and other personalities, all of whom he found fascinating.
Starting in March 2016, he hosted WHTC’s Talk of the Town, replacing the legendary Juke VanOss.
“Ed was a valued member of the staff for many years filling a variety of on-air roles,” said Kevin Oswald, Holland’s market manager for Midwest Communications, WHTC, and The Van’s parent company. “When Juke Van Oss passed in 2016, Ed was the natural choice to take over as host of Talk of the Town until his health prevented him from doing so. Ed was naturally upbeat, easy-going, and had a great rapport with his audience whether on-air or as a host of numerous dances, car shows, and other events over many years.”
During the 1960s, Ed played keyboards in bands and had a recording studio. Among the artists, whose records he helped produce was a Muskegon-based group called The Aardvarks’ third single, “Cherrie, Can’t You Tell” 1967, and it’s B-side “Let’s Move Together”, which appeared on Forte Records, a vanity label for the group, according to the band’s wiki page.
His career spanned rapidly changing technology, from analog reel-to-reel recording tape to a digital world in which radio people get in front of a camera, as Mr. Ver Schure did, despite his illness making him slightly unsteady on his feet, for a guided tour of the newly renovated Holland Civic Center Place in 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StUOhkaA7RQ. He recalled his days of hosting concerts featuring such pop bands as Tommy James — who they surprised with a visit from his mom, a Niles resident, and The Hollies, in the Civic Center’s early days.
Ed Ver Schure loved music, particularly oldies, and working as the DJ for classic car shows, dances, and other events around West Michigan. He loved dogs and cars to distraction and was happiest when visiting with friends and entertaining others, especially if the time involved music. He likes a good joke, too, said morning on-call host Chris Alan, who wrote:
“People in broadcasting are not always kind. Ed was always nice to me, even back when I was just a kid that had no idea what I was doing. He helped teach me to not only be a professional but to have fun when out and about, be it for broadcasting from the CVB for Tulip Time, doing a remote, or just representing the stations for a concert,” Alan wrote, adding, “He took me for a ride in his Honda S200 convertible one time when I was younger. We got to a stoplight and he started coughing so bad. This group of older ladies was looking at us and in between his coughing he screamed in the gravelliest voice, ‘Hand me another cigarette!’ Ed didn’t smoke, at least at this point in his life. We both died laughing so hard.”
Edwin Lee Ver Schure was born to parents Edward VanHall and Rose Ann Cerney. His mother died 3 days later and his father now widowed a second time decided to give the baby up for adoption to and was raised in Holland on 26th street. He attended and graduated in 1963 from Holland Christian High school.
Ed is survived by his half-brother Edward and Sally Palsrok of Manistee. In addition, he is also survived by their 4 sons Edward (Rocky), Jeffrey, David, and Daniel.
He is also survived by cousins on both his birth and adoptive sides.
It goes without saying Ed had many friends all over Michigan and beyond but more here in West Michigan who will never forget an always smiling, cheerful, and ready to play a song to cheer you up or celebrate something.
Ed was a DJ for many car shows and other events including many class reunions. Since his heart attack in 2019, he defied medical science and amazed them by continuing to play his music thru his computer in the nursing/rehab facility he was in. It gave him a purpose and helped to cheer residents up who were down and depressed. One could say that Ed lived to help others be happy and put a smile on their face thru song or just good conversation.
Eddie, you will be so missed by all you leave behind! Play that golden turntable and use that mic to celebrate your new heavenly home.
A memorial visitation will be 2-4 pm Saturday (May 22), at the Dykstra Funeral Home-Mulder Chapel, 188 West 32nd Street.
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