Dennis Richmond, an American news anchor for KTVU, died on Feb. 5 at the age of 81.

Richmond was born on May 26, 1943 in Rossford, Ohio. Following his graduation from Rossford High School in 1961, he served in the United States Army for three years in the 82nd Airborne Division.

He attended Wayne State University for two years and then Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism with a scholarship during his time at KTVU.

In 1968, he joined KTVU as a clerk typist. Richmond became one of the first African Americans to be the chief anchor of a major TV news broadcast. He enjoyed his work there, co-anchoring with Barbara Simpson, Elaine Corral, Leslie Griffith, and lastly, Julie Haener.

Richmond worked at KTVU for 40 years, starting as a clerk typist and moving through the ranks for nine years, until he became an anchor for the rest of his years. For a few years, he was also an actor, starring in True Crime, The Net, and Copycat.

Richmond was widely known for his authoritative voice and professional straight forward delivery during his many interviews and shows. He retired on his 65th birthday on May 26, 2008.

Richmond’s latest co-anchor, Julie Haener shared on a newscast that he had suffered a heart attack and a devastating fall. A few weeks later, he died in the comfort of his home with his wife, Deborah, holding his hand as he took his last breaths, according to KTVU.

Claudine Wong, a fellow reporter and anchor at KTVU, shared, “He was both an inspiration and a support and even years after he retired, he could light up a room full of journalists.”

Sal Castaneda ’82 “started working with him in the 90s. I worked with him until his retirement in 2008.”

He said, “We used to watch Dennis Richmond growing up. He was one my dad’s favorite TV people. When I began working with him, I was a little intimidated because of his vast experience. He ended up being a great coworker who showed, by example, what it takes to be a conscientious journalist.”

He added, “As a student at Riordan I never imagined I would one day be working alongside one of the most well-known journalists in TV news.”

Angela Jia ’25, editor-in-chief of The Crusader, said, “Diversity in the newsroom is incredibly important because your identity shapes the way you report the news. Having diverse reporters means diverse coverage and a more nuanced understanding and empathy of the stories you cover.”

Castaneda agreed, saying, “He was iconic because he was one of the first African American men to be the main nighttime anchor at a major TV station the Bay Area. Even more important than that, was the way he took his job very seriously. He was the essence of a serious journalist who gained the trust of Bay Area viewers.”

Richmond leaves behind his wife and stepson, as well as a daughter from a previous relationship and two grandchildren.

He will be missed dearly by friends, family, the KTVU team, and fans all around the Bay Area. His calm manner and strong presence around his team and in the newsroom will be greatly commemorated and appreciated.

Castaneda said, “Dennis’ legacy is important because he showed that other people of color could rise through the ranks of journalism and tell stories.”

Days before his retirement from KTVU, he hosted his last broadcast which gathered around 400,000 viewers.

His last words on this broadcast were, “For the last time, it’s with great joy and great sadness that I say goodnight and goodbye.”