CALGARY -- Longtime former CTV Calgary sports director Russ Peake has passed away at the age of 80.

Peake was a member of the Calgary sports media from the 1960s until the early 2000s. He worked at CHQR Radio before joining the sports department at CTV in 1971, where he worked for 35 years.

He was also the public address announcer for the Flames when the team first arrived in Calgary, a role he continued until 1996.

Peake received numerous honours for being a Calgary sports booster and was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

Russ Peake

Consummate professional

CTV Calgary's Glenn Campbell worked with Peake for many years.

"The thing I'll remember most is just what a consummate professional Russ was," Campbell said, on CTV's 5 p.m. newscast. "He worked at this station for 35 years and until the day he retired at 65, he would watch his newscasts — we'd say 'where's Russ Peake?' and he'd be in the editing suite. Even if he had a flawless sportscast, he'd go over it again and again.

Russ was very big into rodeo and the curling scenes and was such a big, big proponent for both those sports.

"I remember growing up, when the Flames came here," Campbell added. "Russ Peake was the PA announcer for the Calgary Flames and that voice that he had — he was such a nice man, but more important than that, he had a great sense of humour and will be truly missed."

Del Archer, former vice-president of news and public affairs with CFCN, shared his memories of Peake.

"It was with deep sadness that I read the news that Russ Peake had passed. Russ headed the sports department at CFCN with Glen Campbell and Tammy Christopher when I arrived as Vice-President of News and Public Affairs in the early summer of 1998. They were an integral part of the powerhouse on-air team led by Darrel Janz and Barb Higgins and I remember thinking, at the time, that life just couldn't get better.

"Russ was the consummate professional, on air, behind the scenes and in the public domain where he proudly waved the station's colours and paraded them no matter the occasion. His ranking with the audience was undeniable and he led his department and the station with class and determination. He made my job a whole lot easier as a result. Russ will be fondly remembered by his colleagues and by his viewers and my deepest condolences to his family and friends."

Peake is survived by his daughters Jodi and Debbie.