“First Lady of the Air… remember[ed] as well for her community involvement and energetic support of charitable project.”[1]
These words commemorated Easter Straker in her obituary in the Lima News. Straker was the lead host of both television and radio shows in Allen County for over forty years.[2] Likewise, she was known for her rousing and contemporary talks given all over Ohio and even in Indiana.[3] Straker also had a reputation for charitable work and significant donation drives.[4] This article will cover Easter Straker’s expansive career, philanthropy, and the impact she had on Allen County.
Easter Irene Straker was born on August 25, 1918, in Lima, Ohio.[5] Her parents were John Roma and Madge Arnold Straker.[6] Both John and Madge had been born in Allen County.[7] The family would move for John’s job, as an oil driller, to Robinson City, Illinois by 1920.[8] Straker would grow up in Robinson City and live there with her family until she went to college.[9] She studied at the Indiana State Teachers College, where she would receive both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree.[10] However, her destiny was not in the classroom, Straker’s career would focus on media.
In 1940, Straker began her illustrious career at a radio station, WSOY, in Decatur, Illinois.[11] She started her central program, “Easter’s Parade,” not long after beginning the job.[12] This program was revolutionary to the industry because she became the first woman to do a general show that did not just focus on “women’s topics.”[13] Describing the uniqueness of her program, Straker’s obituary stated, “She was the first woman to host a daily radio program that did not focus on so-called ‘housewife’ issues, launching instead into current affairs, the arts and popular culture as far back as 1940, her first year on the air.”[14] This is one of the most important things to understand about Straker’s career—from the very start, she was revolutionary. She broke the glass ceiling and far surpassed even her male colleagues’ careers. Four years later, in 1944, Straker moved to the radio station, the WIND, in Chicago.[15] There she was the WIND’s first female program director, not to mention the first woman radio program director in Chicago.[16] It was at this job that she learned about interviewing celebrities, something she would become well known for.[17] She pioneered a pre-recorded show called “Celebrity Spotlight.”[18] This show would be on-location, as Straker started going around Chicago with a wire recorder and interviewing celebrities she met.[19] The wire recorder was a new invention at the time and allowed this new type of content.[20] Soon the program became popular, and Straker would schedule these types of interviews with all kinds of celebrities in their hotel rooms, at train stations, backstage, and pretty much anywhere that worked for both parties.[21] This is how Straker spent her first eight years in the media business.
In 1948, Straker would move back to her birthplace, Lima, Ohio, and become a program manager for the new radio station, WIMA,[22] Where she immediately restarted “Easter’s Parade” in Lima.[23] A two hour show at WIMA, it covered the same amount of broad topics as she had at the WSOY in Decatur, Illinois.[24] It was held every morning at 10 a.m.[25] It was always noted how diverse the topics were.[26] One description of the show in the newspaper stated, “[It was] an informal chat about anything from basketball games to flower shows.”[27] Before long all of her programs became sponsored by local companies. Gregg’s and Pangles becoming her most frequent sponsorships.[28] By the time Straker’s radio career ended, “Easter’s Parade” had become the longest continuously sponsored program in broadcast history.[29] For example, in a broadcast schedule by WIMA printed in the newspaper from 1950 showed: Straker’s program started at 10 a.m. with “Easter’s Parade” sponsored by Greggs until 10:30, then Myers sponsored half an hour, and the final hour was sponsored by Pangles.[30] She was on the radio for the majority of her career, and in the 1980s she would change stations to WLSR and WCIT, who are still based in Lima.[31] There, Straker’s format and two hour show mostly stayed the same.[32] She would do the same interviews with celebrities or locals and talk about anything and everything from medicine to popular culture.[33] Radio broadcasting was Straker’s bread and butter. However, her career would become even more expansive when she joined the live television broadcasting world.
On April 18, 1953, WIMA-TV, now WLIO, had its first program, and Straker was a part of it from the very beginning.[34] She would take “Easter’s Parade” to the screen in 1955, and it became an afternoon program with a mix of interviews, special guests, and broad general interest topics.[35] The most memorable part of “Easter’s Parade” became the Birthday Chair portion of the program. Children would sit on a birthday throne while being interviewed by Straker.[36] Afterwards the child would get to take a handful of pennies from a jar.[37] During the show’s almost 30-year run, it is estimated that more than 41,600 children sat in the Birthday Chair.[38] The Allen County Museum still proudly displays the Birthday Chair today. By 1963, Straker was the Director of Community Services for WIMA-TV and Radio; we’ll discuss her connection to the community in a few paragraphs.[39] Straker was most known for the atmosphere her talk show created. In 1983, one Lima citizen described it: “She made you feel comfortable: she called her one-hour afternoon talk show ‘the living room of the air.’ She was easily the best-known woman in town.”[40] One of the ways Straker created this comfort was the ease at which she interviewed every visitor from personal friends to celebrities.[41] Her most remarkable interview took place in 1958, when Straker interviewed Eleanor Roosevelt.[42] She interviewed the former First Lady, with the same grace and thoughtfulness as any other subject. Likewise, Straker was known for only endorsing products or services she used and enjoyed.[43] Straker did testimonial type commercials during her show throughout her entire career and would talk about her own experiences with a product.[44] Because of this, she was connected to the best and sometimes most enduring businesses in the area, bringing mutual prestige to Straker and said businesses.[45] Straker’s “Easter’s Parade” would be on WIMA-TV until 1984; on the televisions of most households in the area for just under thirty years.[46]
Like everyone in this year’s Titans of Industry series, Straker had a multitude of other side businesses. The most influential was undoubtedly her speaking engagements around Ohio and sometimes Indiana. It would be difficult to recount all the talks Straker gave, so instead we will highlight some of the topics she often spoke about.[47] One anecdote given by her employer to the newspaper illustrates this well. A co-worker, Sam Fitzsimmons, was getting calls one September for Christmas speaking engagements, but listened to a telephone call Straker was taking about a Mother’s Day Speech.[48] After she finished, Fitzsimmons questioned how far out she was booked; Straker remarked she was almost booked out through the next May, aka more than six months ahead.[49] Straker was one in demand lady. In 1963, she gave a talk on “Living in the Space Age” for the YWCA, aligning with the popular culture topics she often spoke on.[50] Likewise, Straker frequently traveled throughout the world.[51] Thus, many of her talks centered on this topic. For the Allen County Home Economics Association, in 1960, Straker presented colored slides she had taken during a trip to several Scandinavian countries.[52] A year earlier, Straker had shown films she took in Europe during an extended trip to the Opti-Mrs group.[53] Straker was also known to talk about industry specific topics of the media. In 1976, she gave a talk to the Rosewood Child Conservation League on the pros and cons of TV censorship.[54] She was also known for her talks about Christianity and was a founding member of the Sharon Park United Methodist Church in Lima.[55] In 1960, Straker showed slides of her visit to the Passion Play to the Women’s Society of World Service, a Sharon Park United Methodist Church group.[56] From these examples, we can see that Straker not only held many speaking engagements, but also talked about a wide variety of subjects.
A similar thing Straker did was lead tour groups around the world. In 1963, she escorted a tour of Allen County residents on a thirty-seven-day trip around the world.[57] They started in Alaska traveling to Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Greece, Italy, and then finishing in Denmark.[58] Quite the feat; however, with extensive travel already under her belt, Straker would have been an excellent tour guide. These were some of the non-broadcast-centric things Straker did during her long career.
Anyone from Allen County knows that Easter Straker was incredibly generous and philanthropic. Throughout her life, this was one of the most remarked-upon things about Straker. It might be easier to name the institutions in Allen County for which she did not help raise funds. However, there are a few charities she is primarily known for helping. One aspect of Straker’s philanthropic work was penny fundraisers. She often held penny fundraisers, under the knowledge that everyone from those of low income to children could give.[59] In 1954, she raised pennies for the Allen County Polio Fund; they had 1 million pennies donated or $10,000.[60] Many other charities were helped on a similar scale through Straker’s penny fundraising campaigns. Another charity Straker was known for spearheading was the Teddy Bear Fund.[61] Through this fund, every sick child in an Allen County hospital was given a teddy bear.[62] The Teddy Bear Fund is still alive and well today perhaps because of Straker’s original involvement. Straker was well connected to the Lima Symphony Orchestra and was the president of the board for a long time.[63] She helped with one of their family day concerts in 1965, narrating “Peter and the Wolf.”[64] Straker was in the women’s charity club Soroptimist and was their Soroptimist of the Year in 1955.[65] Likewise, she was nominated by Gregg’s as the Woman of the Year for the La Sertoma International Award in 1968.[66] Both of those awards were given because of how she gave “her time and talents… unselfishly… for the good of all.”[67] Near the end of her life, Straker started a scholarship for broadcasting students at Ohio Northern University.[68] A tribute dinner to Straker’s career was held after her retirement in 1991.[69] All proceeds from the dinner went to the ONU scholarship for broadcasting students.[70] These are just a few of the philanthropic highlights of a woman who ceaselessly worked to better her community.
In 1985, Easter Straker was diagnosed with colon cancer, which changed the trajectory of her career.[71] The following year, 1986, Straker moved to the radio station WCIT.[72] She would broadcast there until her final show on September 4, 1991.[73] For the tribute dinner, previously mentioned, the newspaper wrote, “‘Easter Straker, the dean of Ohio broadcasters, has recently retired after 51 years on the air. Since 1948 she has been a very active part of this community. It is time to show this very caring and very giving lady how much we as a community appreciate what she has done.’”[74] The community loved her and wanted to send her off knowing how much they appreciated what she did. Straker would pass away on April 18, 1992, in her home after her seven year battle with cancer.[75] Of her 51-year career, 42 of those years were spent broadcasting out of Allen County.[76] At that time, she held the record for most years of continuous broadcasting in Ohio.[77] In Lima, she was the first person to have a day proclaimed in her honor—August 25, her birthday.[78] Following her continuous charity, all memorial contributions were to be made to the Lima Public Library, the Lima Symphony Orchestra, the Teddy Bear Fund, or the Easter Straker Scholarship at ONU.[79] Easter Straker was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery and will always be remembered by her community for her groundbreaking broadcasting career and philanthropic disposition.
Endnotes:
[1] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[4] Ibid.
[5] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[6] Ibid.
[7] “John Straker: In the 1920 United States Federal Census,” accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4300528_00422?pId=67526798 and “Madge Straker: In the 1920 United States Federal Census,” accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/24722175/person/372440152073/facts.
[8] “John Straker: In the 1920 United States Federal Census,” accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4300528_00422?pId=67526798.
[9] “Easter Straker: In the 1930 United States Census,” accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/25621434?tid=24722175&pid=372441281000&ssrc=pt.
[10] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[11] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[12] “Easter Irene Straker,” Find a Grave, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161685972/easter-irene-straker.
[13] Ibid.
[14] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[15] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[16] “Easter Irene Straker,” Find a Grave, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161685972/easter-irene-straker.
[17] Ibid.
[18] Ibid.
[19] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[20] “Easter Irene Straker,” Find a Grave, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161685972/easter-irene-straker.
[21] Ibid.
[22] Ibid.
[23] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[24] Ibid.
[25] Ibid.
[26] “Queen Jubilee XVI Judges Are Named,” The Lima Citizen, April 26, 1960, In Straker Family File at the Allen County Archive.
[27] Ibid.
[28] Kim Kincaid, “Local TV Station Celebrate Golden Anniversary,” The Lima News, December 10, 2002, in Straker family file at the Allen County Archives.
[29] Ibid.
[30] “WIMA Sports 1150 Variety,” Lima News, October 10, 1950, accessed April 25, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7751/images/NEWS-OH-LI_NE.1950_10_10_0022.
[31] “Easter Irene Straker,” Find a Grave, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161685972/easter-irene-straker.
[32] Ibid.
[33] Ibid.
[34] “Guest Speaker,” The VW Independent, January 29, 1963, In Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[35] “Easter Irene Straker,” Find a Grave, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161685972/easter-irene-straker and “Queen Jubilee XVI Judges Are Named,” The Lima Citizen, April 26, 1960, In Straker Family File at the Allen County Archive.
[36] “Easter Irene Straker,” Find a Grave, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161685972/easter-irene-straker.
[37] Ibid.
[38] Kim Kincaid, “Local TV Station Celebrate Golden Anniversary,” The Lima News, December 10, 2002, in Straker family file at the Allen County Archives.
[39] “Guest Speaker,” The VW Independent, January 29, 1963, In Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[40] Mary Ellen Schoonmaker, “The Six O’Clock Beauty Pageant,” Villiage Voice, November 18, 1983, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[41] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[42] Ibid.
[43] Ibid.
[44] Ibid.
[45] Ibid.
[46] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[47] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[48] WIMA Staff, “TV Picture,” Lima News, September 6, 1958, accessed April 30, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7751/images/NEWS-OH-LI_NE.1958_09_06_0029.
[49] Ibid.
[50] “Guest Speaker,” The VW Independent, January 29, 1963, In Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[51] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[52] “$100 Scholarship To Be Offered in Home Economics,” The Lima News, January 15, 1960, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[53] “Opti-Mrs Have Travelogue By Easter Straker,” Lima News, February 3, 1959, accessed April 25, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7751/images/NEWS-OH-LI_NE.1959_02_03_0008.
[54] Gael McCarthy, “Diamon an Investment – CCL to Meet,” Lima News, April 25, 1976, accessed April 30, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7751/images/NEWS-OH-LI_NE.1976_04_25_0042.
[55] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[56] “Sharon Park ESCS To Hear Miss Straker,” Lima News, December 6, 1960, accessed April 25, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7751/images/NEWS-OH-LI_NE.1960_12_06_0013.
[57] “Local Residents Leaving On World Tour,” Lima News, October 17, 1963, accessed April 30, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7751/images/NEWS-OH-LI_NE.1963_10_17_0029.
[58] Ibid.
[59] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[60] Ibid.
[61] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[62] Ibid.
[63] Ibid.
[64] “Symphony Presenting Musical Folk Tale: ‘Peter, Wolf’ Concert Attraction,” Lima News, March 3, 1965, accessed April 30, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7751/images/NEWS-OH-LI_NE.1965_03_03_0016.
[65] Kim Kincaid, “Lima’s Soroptimists: Working hard to make the world a better place,” Lima News, May 15, 2002, in Straker family file at the Allen County Archives.
[66] “Gregg’s Woman of the Year 1968,” Lima News, April 22, 1968, accessed April 28, 2025, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7751/images/NEWS-OH-LI_NE.1968_04_22_0005.
[67] Ibid.
[68] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[69] “Let’s Say Thank You Easter Straker!,” The Lima News, October 31, 1991, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[70] Ibid.
[71] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[72] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[73] Ibid.
[74] Adrienne McGee, “Easter Straker: A Name that will Always be Connected to Lima,” Time Capsule, Our Generation’s Magazine, April 2011, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[75] “Easter Straker Dies at 73,” Lima News, April 19, 1992, in Straker Family File at the Allen County Archives.
[76] Ibid.
[77] Ibid.
[78] Ibid.
[79] Ibid.
Photo Credit:
All images came from the Allen County Archives.
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