Kenmore resident and longtime news commentator Ken Schram died Thursday at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland. He was 66.
“Our family is deeply grateful for all the love and good wishes that have come our way during this time of incredible and devastating loss,” wrote Ken Schram’s wife Sandi on her Facebook page.
Schram spent 35 years at KOMO TV as a reporter and commentator and wrote a column for the Reporter Newspaper group from 2007 to 2009.
He also hosted “Town Meeting” a Seattle TV talk show, produced “Schram on the Street” and hosted “The Commentators” show on KOMO radio with John Carlson until 2010.
But Schram might be best know for his “Schrammie” segments, which pointed out some of what Schram deemed “the most bone-headed decisions and asinine behavior.”
Schram received many Emmy Awards for his work on TV, along with the prestigious Peabody Award.
KOMO has reported that he was battling with an internal infection and was “gravely ill” during the past few days.
“Many of you know he had been battling a horrible infection for the past few months,” KOMO General Manager Janene Drafs said in a statement to KOMO staff. “Ken’s family was by his side when he passed, and in fact, he took his last breath just as his wife Sandi finished the final verse of a favorite song.”
Sandi and Ken had been married for 44 years. She told a local blog site seatacmedia.com on May 25: “He has the opportunity here to be in a home-like setting with family around. He can maintain the dream of returning home. It is a place where hope is nurtured. I will continue to stay 24/7 with him and the kids aware here, too along.”
Schram collapsed and was hospitalized with kidney failure in November of last year.
“The man was a huge presence, and deep under that crusty exterior, he had one of the biggest hearts in our business,” said Drafs. “The measure of a man is how much they care about others – and as much as Ken tried to hide it – he cared more than anyone I know. The world is a little quieter, and a little smaller without him.”
The family is planning a private, catholic ceremony, and hoping to have a public memorial service as well.
