Former San Antonio TV anchorman Fred Lozano dead at 67

KENS-TV anchorman Fred Lozano KENS-TV anchorman Fred Lozano Photo: COURTESY PHOTO Photo: COURTESY PHOTO Image 1 of / 47 Caption Close Former San Antonio TV anchorman Fred Lozano dead at 67 1 / 47 Back to Gallery

Fred Lozano, a veteran of San Antonio TV news for close to 40 years, died Wednesday morning at the age of 67.

The news was greeted with tears and accolades by many of his former colleagues.

“He was fighting leukemia for over a year,” said KENS morning newscaster Sarah Forgany, who co-anchored the early news block with Lozano until his retirement in 2012. “But he was a private person, so not many people knew.”

Forgany said she remained close to Lozano after he left KENS, and she was grateful she got to see him one last time on Saturday.

RELATED: Lozano was a rock 'n' roller, part of the 1960s Chicano teen combo scene

“We just clicked and really understood each other,” she said, adding that Lozano was a mentor who taught her a lot about reporting the news and “respecting our audience.”

She said she received the news of Lozano’s death from Kelly Chapman, his ex-wife and good friend, who co-anchored the 5 p.m. news with him in the 1980s. The two had three sons together: Daniel, 27; and twins Robert and Jack, 24.

Lozano was born in San Antonio and graduated from Brackenridge High School. He started as a newsman in radio at KONO in 1970.

Soon, TV beckoned, and he was hired as a reporter and anchorman for WOAI, San Antonio’s NBC affiliate.

He left in 1975 when the major market of Los Angeles called.

“That was invaluable experience,” he told the Express-News prior to his retirement, but added that he was happy to return to his hometown in 1977, where he anchored the 5 and 6 p.m. news for many years at KENS.

He headed over to the competition, WOAI (then KMOL), for a brief weekend stint but returned to KENS in 1997, where he worked until his retirement in June 2012.

On his last day at KENS, friends and family gathered in the station’s studio to celebrate the local TV icon. Politicians from Mayor Julian Castro to Gov. Rick Perry wished Lozano a fond farewell via taped messages and proclamations.

On Wednesday, many former TV colleagues said they were shocked by his death.

KENS sportscaster Joe Reinagel called the news “a bust to the gut.”

“I didn’t even know he was ill,” Reinagel said. “He was a great newsman.”

Deborah Knapp, who co-anchored the 6 p.m. news on KENS with Lozano through the 1990s, said he was “such a smart, professional guy. He also had a really fun side, was a joy to work with every day.”

Sarah Lucero, KENS’ 6 and 10 p.m. anchorwoman, said she was stunned by the news, describing Lozano as a wonderful man and journalist.

Bill Taylor, KENS’ chief meteorologist, worked mornings with Lozano for four years. He called him “a great, genuine guy and one of the best writers ever in our newsroom.”

WOAI’s chief meteorologist, Albert Flores, worked with Lozano for many years during his KENS tenure.

“I have such great memories working with him and Kelly on the 5 p.m. news,” Flores said. “We became good friends and frequently played golf together. What a sad day.”

His colleagues also remembered Lozano as having a beautiful singing voice. Forgany said they would harmonize together all the time during breaks in the morning news.

A private memorial and funeral service are planned, according to a statement on the KENS website.

jjakle@express-news.net