Former Edmonton broadcaster Eric Neville, also known as Klondike Eric, has passed away.
According to his family, Neville suffered a sudden heart attack on Friday at his acreage in central Alberta.
Neville had begun work at CFRN in 1963 and was known for his work on Popcorn Playhouse and as the weatherman for the 6 p.m. newscast.
One of his daughters described his as “an unstoppable force of positive energy, happiness and humour” in a Facebook post.
“His beautifully crafted stories, his endless energy and his ability to make everyone around him feel special. He was one in a billion. We will miss you so much,” Sherry Soong wrote.
Former CFRN manager Bruce Hogle described Neville as outgoing, friendly and someone who always had a smile on his face.
“He epitomized everything good about television and good people and having a great time.
“He was held in high regard not just by the parents and the grandparents and things like that but by businesspeople and by educators and by the police. Here was a man who knew children, loved children but also the community as a whole and really gave back all of his life.”
Soong also said that donations can be made in her father’s name to the Alberta Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Ronald McDonald House.
