Veteran Christian radio man, Richard McIntosh, has gone to his eternal reward

Veteran Christian radio man, Richard McIntosh, has gone to his eternal reward

By Dan Wooding, Founder of the ASSIST News Service

ORANGE COUNTY, CA (ANS – January 23, 2016) – Seasoned Christian broadcaster, Richard McIntosh, who served as KWVE’s General Manager in Santa Ana, California, for almost eight years, went home to be with the Lord earlier this month, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

McIntosh, who also managed the KWVE Radio Network (www.kwve.com), the popular Calvary Chapel group of stations in California and Nevada, had also been in charge of California-based KSDW-FM and KWTH, K-Frog Riverside-San Bernardino, WLUM Milwaukee, WRFD Columbus, and KPRZ Los Angeles.

It was back in July of 2014 that Richard McIntosh, first discovered that he was facing the greatest battle of his life. His doctor has confirmed that he has pancreatic cancer.

“On the afternoon of July 16th I began to experience abdominal pain. I have never experienced pain that bad before,” he told me in an interview at the time. “My wife, Peg, took me to the hospital. The initial diagnosis was that my gallbladder needed to come out. There is a history of that in my family so things did not seem out of line.

“The next morning I was taken to surgery and the doctors discovered that there was a mass constricting the duct coming from my gallbladder. A stint was put in to get the gallbladder functioning. The mass was sampled and it came back positive for cancer. The diagnosis is pancreatic cancer.

“I am now a cancer patient. My hope and trust are in The Lord.”

Once the news was announced on his Facebook page, there were many messages of support for Richard.

Wayne Shepherd, a veteran radio broadcaster with over 40 years of experience as a programming manager and radio host, wrote, “My wife and I both go back to knowing Richard in college together where we all worked in radio. We’re praying and pulling for you, Richard!”

Worship leader, Kathy Wright Gipson, stated, “Prayer is going up for you Richard – we love you and will continue to believe in a miracle of healing!”

McIntosh then posted, “The outpouring of support was a little overwhelming but so appreciated. The doctors will start me on chemotherapy and I see that doctor next week to start the process of getting rid of this pancreatic cancer. Keep praying my friends.”

Since his passing, his Facebook page has been inundated with messages, including one from Dale Berg, owner-operator of Smooth 97 The Oasis, an Internet radio stations in Palm Springs, California, who on January 16th posted, “It's been a week now. Last Saturday we lost a seasoned broadcaster, and genuine nice guy. Richard McIntosh passed away. He was working up until the last on a new project to bring KYMS 106.3 Santa Ana back. It would've been a very unique station because he was going to play Contemporary Christian Music from the 70's through 2000. Yes there is CCM that goes farther back than 2000! Richard will be missed. Remember his family in prayer during this time.”

Cathi Parrish, an announcer at KWVE, said, “Our hearts are heavy, and we are with you in prayer for God's comfort. There are so many memories that I have with Richard through the years, and it was evident that he did indeed live by faith.”

Chris Rohloff from Urbandale, IA, wrote just after his passing, “This weekend we lost a great broadcaster, and a great man. Richard McIntosh is now safely in the arms of his Lord, Jesus. I will miss him, just as many will. Today I will pray for his family, and all those who loved him. Over the years Richard was a man who spoke words of encouragement into my life when I needed them most. He was TRULY used by God in my like! Thank you Richard for being my friend. I hope to honor you by being a good friend and encourager to all my fellow broadcasters. Miss you Richard.”

Dave Rolph, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Pacific Hills in Aliso Viejo, California, and a regular broadcaster at KWVE, said on January 10th, “I miss you already Richard, but I'll see you soon. You were a good man who I know has now heard ‘well done.’ Give Chuck a hug for me.”

Rolph was of course, referring to Pastor Chuck Smith, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California, and the man God used to launch the Jesus People Revolution which has since spread around the world. Smith died in his sleep from a heart attack around 3:00 am on October 3, 2013, at his Southern California home. He had previously waged a long and courageous battle with lung cancer, even though he had never smoked during his lifetime.

One of the people who spent a few hours with Chuck Smith at his home, shortly before Smith’s passing, was Richard McIntosh. At the time, McIntosh posted on his Facebook page, “I got to spend some time with Pastor Chuck Smith this afternoon. We talked KWVE, the church and had a time of prayer.”

Not long afterwards, Richard moved on from KWVE to become a broadcast consultant, but then came this battle with pancreatic cancer. Now he is free of pain and, I am sure, has already given Pastor Chuck Smith a hug.

Please remember all of his family in prayer at this time.

Photo captions: 1) Richard pictured with his wife, Peg, at a KWVE event. (Photo: Dan Wooding). 2) One of the last pictures of Richard on his Facebook page. 3) Dave Rolph (right) pictured with Richard McIntosh. 4) One of the last pictures of Pastor Chuck Smith. He is pictured at his home with Janet Carter and one of Smith’s great grandchildren, with Richard McIntosh, in the background. 5) Dan Wooding pictured with Chuck Smith after interviewing him for his Front Page Radio show on KWVE.

About the writer: Dan Wooding is an award-winning author, broadcaster and journalist who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, and is now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for more than 52 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the author of some 45 books and has two TV programs and one radio show in Southern California, and has reported widely for ANS from various parts of the world.

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