Posted on: Friday, February 21, 2003

Bill Morse, ex-Hawai'i radio exec, 62

Advertiser Staff

William "Bill" Lee Morse, who rose from deejay to radio executive in Hawai'i, died Feb. 7 at his home in Birmingham, Ala., after a long battle with cancer. He was 62.

Morse was born in Kansas City, Mo., in 1940, and served in the Marine Corps.

From 1962 to 1996, Morse was production manager for popular radio host Hal Lewis, also known as J. Akuhead Pupule, and for Ron Cooper on the Coffee Club Show from 1964 to 1966.

He also managed a station in Hilo for radio magnate Cec Heftel, promoted a then unknown radio personality named Rush Limbaugh in Kansas City, and was part-owner of KORL Radio-650 in Honolulu.

He worked again at KGU, KUMU and KHVH before leaving Hawai'i in 1996 to work in sales for Muzak.

Services have been held in Birmingham, and the family plans to have his ashes scattered in Hawai'i, according to longtime friend and colleague Ron Cooper of Kailua.