Remembering a broadcast legend: Calgarians pay their respects to Darrel Janz

Calgarians gathered Thursday to pay their respects to broadcast legend Darrel Janz, who inspired thousands of young journalists and continued sharing impactful local stories until his very last days.

A memorial service held at the Centre Street Church saw more than 500 attendees.

The longtime CTV Calgary news anchor and reporter passed away surrounded by family on Nov. 2 at the age of 83.

"He loved it when I called him 'daddy,' and 'daddy' would be delighted and I wish he was here to see this," said Janz's daughter, Shannon Lee Rae.

"It was sometimes difficult to separate the legendary broadcaster, but he was always just 'dad.' His work at CFCN was just our playground and we didn't think much of it. He was such a wonderful, incredible asset to our community and those last days with him were so important to me."

The theme of his daughter's eulogy was "reconciliation," in which she spoke of reconnecting with her father after 30 years.

"The final chapter of hope and restoration is written here today, and as I share our story, I encourage you to never give up. God's timing is always perfect," she said.

His nephew, Michael Van Hee, reflected on how family "was everything" to Janz.

"Obviously, he's a very famous man, but I knew him as 'Uncle Darrel.' He was always great at coming to my basketball games, my son's football and hockey games; just such a very family-oriented individual, and that's what I remember so much," he said.

Janz worked on the air for 61 years, including 50 years bringing the news to southern Albertans on CTV Calgary.

From humble beginnings growing up in the small town of Main Centre, Sask., he pursued his interest in current events and began his broadcasting career in radio before making the move to television.

Janz worked in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario before making the move out west to Calgary in 1973.

What was supposed to be just a five-year news anchor contract turned into a lifetime of incredible storytelling.

"As much as he loved his work, he was happiest when talking about his family," said Barb Higgins, who co-anchored the CTV Calgary six o'clock news for 21 years alongside Janz.

"We had a very immediate and special chemistry, and we harnessed and enjoyed that chemistry on the desk. Darrel was a teacher, mentor and colleague to so many."

David Spence, who worked as a meteorologist with CTV Calgary from the early 1980s until the fall of 2021, was extremely fond of Janz.

"I still remember my first day on the job. Amidst all the chaos, Darrel was calm, composed and unshaken," he said.

"Newsrooms across the country are populated with the beneficiaries of Darrel's wisdom and through his teaching at SAIT and Mount Royal University over a period of 25 years, Darrel shaped generations of journalists who now carry his kindness and his professionalism into their own careers."

Former CTV co-anchor Jocelyn Laidlaw also reflected on the special relationship she had with Janz on the anchor desk.

"I knew he would never let me fail and that is an incredible quality. He never made me feel too young or too inexperienced or lesser than him," she said.

Laidlaw described one of her favourite memories, in which Janz invited her entire family for a special Christmas concert with his church community.

"Darrel and I had really different backgrounds and belief systems when it came to religion, but when he asked me to come to church with him, we came to see he knew every single person there by name. He was so generous and thoughtful," she said.

"I'll remember that forever, even knowing we came from different backgrounds, how welcoming he was to share Christmas with the people he really cared about."

Faith was incredibly important to Janz, who was a longtime member of the Centre Street Church community.

Longtime friend Ben Wall still remembers the day he first saw Janz at a church service.

"I couldn't believe it. I said, 'That's Darrel Janz,' and he was so kind, we had such a great conversation and became good friends," he said.

"I looked up to him, especially when it came to Christianity. He had his ups and downs, like we all have, but he was everything to me."

In the later days of his career, it was a bucket list dream for Janz to host a talk show.

That dream came true after leaving CTV in May of 2023.

He co-hosted the interview show Legacy Makers, a series on YES TV, that profiles Albertans who are leaving an inspiring, impactful legacy.

Co-host Jacqueline Clements described Janz as "the same on television as he was in person."

"He never made anything about himself," she said.

"He had a unique ability to make everyone feel valued and seen. Whether you were a family member, a friend, a guest on the show or someone he was meeting for the very first time, he made you feel very special."

Family and friends of Janz are asking anyone who wishes to honour his life to make a donation if they are able to Operation Christmas Child or Samaritan's Purse.

If so inclined, donations to any charity of choice in Janz's memory can also be made using the hashtag #thecirclewontbebroken.