Chuck Williams

If you lived in or traveled through Winona between the years 1942 and 1985 you knew the voice of radio icon Charles E. “Chuck” Williams.

Known as the “Voice of Winona Athletics” and “Dean of Minnesota Broadcasters”, Williams gave play-by-play descriptions of between 4,000 and 4,500 athletic contests, and recorded more than 30,000 Mike Side of Sports programs on KWNO AM. His was the radio voice for the old Southern Minny baseball league, the Three I minor league teams, Winona High, Winona Cotter, Winona State, Saint Mary’s and the Winona LeJetz. He covered virtually all of the Minnesota State High School Basketball Tournaments from 1950 until his retirement in 1985.

Chuck’s broadcasting career began in 1942 following his graduation from St. Mary’s College. After a brief stint with the Republican Herald as a sports writer, Williams joined KWNO as a staff announcer and DJ. His evening music and talk show Willie’s Wax Works was a local favorite in the ‘40s.

Williams took two years off to serve with the Army Signal Corps and Armed Forces Radio Service during World War II, and then returned to the Winona station for a highly successful broadcast career.

Williams earned a Winona “triple crown” after being inducted into the Halls of Fame at Saint Mary’s University (1987), Winona Senior High (2004) and Winona Cotter High School (2005).

Chuck retired from KWNO Radio in 1985 but kept active in the local sports scene, publishing “From the Sidelines” a column for the Winona Post and working as a major contributor, copy editor and vocal talent with Mediawerks in Winona. In 1991 he cofounded KHME-FM, Home 101 Radio with owner Bud Baechler. Chuck’s voice was the first sound heard when KHME went live from the newly dedicated “Chuck Williams Broadcast Center” in Winona.

While best known for his talents behind the microphone, Chuck would say that his most important legacy was the love he had for his wife Claire, his children and grandchildren, and the many colleagues and dear friends he made during his remarkable life! Upon his retirement Chuck was quoted as saying: “Thank you for making my labor of life a labor of love.”

Chuck Williams passed away March 13, 2010.