Darrell Blue | University of Illinois Archives

Name: Darrell Blue

Historical Note: Harold "Darrell" Blue was born in Decatur, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Illinois with two bachelors degrees in journalism and radio/television communications in 1961 and a masters degree in radio/television communications in 1967. Blue joined the staff of WILL TV in 1961. He was amongst the first journalists to cover the US-USSR exchange program's Russian national gymnastics team's seven-city exhibition, which came to the University of Illinois on January 18, 1961. Soon after this, he began working with WCIA-TV in Champaign, IL. In 1976, he oversaw the production of the From the Hearts of Men bicentennial salute to America's windbands, featuring Harry Begian and the University of Illinois Bands in the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. After leaving Illinois, he joined a TV station in Spokane, Washington. From the early 1980s to his retirement in 2009, Blue served as Vice President and General Manager of two television stations in Yakima and Kennewick, Washington. Blue has been a member of the Yakima Rotary Club since 1987, serving as its president from 2004-2005. He has also served on the boards of the Memorial Hospital Foundation, The Cpitol Theatre, The Yakima Symphony, The United Way, and the Yakima County Development Association. Blue is a life member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association.

Sources:

Presidents of Rotary 2000-2010, https://yakimarotary.org/page/presidents-of-rotary-2000-2010.

"Soviets Invade Champaign County! Russian Olympic Gymnasts Perform in Front of 5,000 at Huff Gym." Champaign County History Museum, online at: https://www.champaigncountyhistory.org/single-post/soviets-invade-champaign-county.

Note Author: Nolan Vallier