Urban Radio PD, Mark Raymond Smith, 52, of Madison Alabama passed peacefully from this life on November 6, 2009, after a gradual decline in health. Mark Raymond was born in Pennington, NJ. He had been a Huntsville, Alabama resident since 2005. where he had worked as Program Director of WHRP.
He attended North Carolina Central University to study broadcasting and later went on to the Allen and Singer School of Broadcasting where he obtained his FCC 3rd Class License endorsed. Mark Raymond’s love of radio started in 1975 while doing mobile DJ-ing in New Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
In 1977, Mark started working at college radio station WTSR, in Trenton, New Jersey. Mark returned to Winston-Salem and worked part time at WAAA in 1979. Mark also did overnights on the album oriented sister station WKTL. He went on to WGIV, doing afternoon drive in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mark then went on to WQMG, in Greensboro, North Carolina on to WAIR in Winston-Salem, then back to Charlotte at WGIV as Program Director. After a few years, Mark ventured to Jacksonville, Florida where he programmed WERD in 1982.
He took a short break from radio and moved back to Winston-Salem in 1990. After returning back to WAAA for several years, Mark moved to Killeen, Texas and worked as a Program Director for KISS 103.1FM. From Texas to Huntsville, Mark moved into a position as Program Director for WHRP in 2005.
While living in Trenton, Mark was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church and recently joined Progressive Union Missionary Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Mark Raymond was preceded in death by his sister, Elyse Alison Wesley. He is survived by his parents, Oliver and Zenobia Smith of Trenton, NJ, his Fiancée Camille Roddy of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, nieces Heather Elyse Wesley Roebuck (Darrion) and Jasmine Danielle Wesley of University Park, Illinois and one great nephew, Damien, host of aunts, uncles, cousins and a great network of friends who admired, respected and loved him.
Viewing will be held from 9:00am to 10:00am. on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Shiloh Baptist Church, 340 Rev S. Howard Woodson Jr. Way, Trenton, NJ 08618. The Funeral Services will begin at 10:00 am at the church. Interment will take place at Ewing Cemetery, 78 Scotch Road, Ewing, NJ 08628.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:
North Carolina Central University Foundation, PO Box 25111, Durham, NC 27702
Memo: Mark Raymond Smith Broadcasting Memorial
Sorry to hear about Mark. I worked with Mark at WGIV on his first tour. Hadn’t seen him in years.
UPDATE: The weather finally broke and MARK RAYMOND SMITH’s Home-Going Service Saturday, November 14th in Trenton, NJ was memorable and fitting.–The eulogy by Rev. Darrell L. Armstrong of Shiloh Baptist Church was tailor-made, striking all the right chords, the reunion of Mark’s partners from “Jet Productions,” the attendance by many who valued their unique friendships including persons from Florida, Tennessee, Winston-Salem, NC, Maryland (Chris Barry), New Jersey (Patrick Spencer), Philadelphia (Buddy Dee), New York (Brad Davidson), even his Huntsville, AL minister, beautiful floral arrangements like the one sent by former WAAA co-worker Jae Jackson; and the release of three white doves to “I’ll Fly Away” at the graveside, all combined to lift the spirits of Mark’s aging parents, nieces, fiancee, family and friends.
I thank you for your heartfelt messages to me, your supportive thoughts and prayers for the family, and your contributions to: North Carolina University Foundation, POB 25111, Durham, NC 27702, Memo: Mark Raymond Smith Broadcasting Memorial.
Mütter D. Evans
Former Owner & GM of WAAA, Winston-Salem, NC
The last email I sent was I sent was ignored about my Micheal Jackson remix, and I said I wouldnt send another but I wanted to say something on behalf of Marc Raymond.
I think Mark Raymond died of a Broken Heart, not by some fine chick from Alabama where he was living and was once the PD of a Huntsville Urban AC , but by the business of radio that he spent most of his life in.
I remember a few years ago Mark wrote something about him getting out the business for ever and how he was frustrated by aolt of the things that were going on and shortly after that he got the PD position in Huntville.
I worked with Mark at the first station I ever worked and he and Chris Turner were PD and Assistant PD and they gave me my first fulltime job in radio at WGIV Charlotte. We were a struggling AM at that time and we were trying to stay afloat while the new FM at that time WPEG was emerging.
Mark, who was from Trenton, NJ and me from Philly were good friends and we both had big dreams of working in big markets, making alot of money and enjoy the life of radio business that we both loved. We often debated over who was the better station WBLS or WDAS. With Mark living in Trenton he heard both stations while I was very partial toward WDAS FM.
Mark left the station to be PD at WERD in Jacksonville, with Chris Turner and they wanted me to come, but I had a new born daughter and didnt want to move at time.
I loss track of Mark for a few years and then he called me after hearing me somewhere in he told me that he was out of the radio business and working for Circuit City in the Winston Salem area. He later got back in the business
that he loved, radio.
Mark, like me and others have spent almost our entire lives doing this radio thing in small towns like Winston-Salem, Sumter, Huntsville and other towns paying the socalled dues and dreaming of bigger markets and bigger things.
Mark never made it to WBLS like he always talked about but he did what he loved. He was a good kat who was serious about the business and I hope he was fullfilled.
I worked with some good kats and Mark was one of the good ones, and I just wanted to say that cause I havent seen anyone comment on him. Even though he wasnt one of those socalled bigtime over hyped PDs or syndicated hotshot, I know he was a real black radio guy who worked in the trenches for little money , little hype, and he deserves his due.
Mel Devonne