Allan Howard-Espeseth

Allan Howard Espeseth, age 81, died of heart failure November 20, 2019 while doing what he loved so dearly…walking one of his beloved dogs, Toby, near his home in Roseville, CA. Born March 1, 1938, in Winger, MN, he was the son of the late Orville H. Espeseth and I. Mildred (Eide) Espeseth Fjelstul, who instilled in him a lifelong love of the Lord.

Allan knew from age eight that he was destined to be a broadcaster. His first job was as a disc jockey (DJ) at radio station KTRF in Thief River Falls, MN while just a senior in high school. He graduated from Mcintosh High School in 1956. He then graduated from Brown Institute of Broadcasting in Minneapolis, MN. He married Clarice (Chris) Norton (DeBruyckere) in 1958 in Graettinger, IA and began his full time broadcasting career at KILR radio in Estherville, IA. In 1960, they moved to Grand Rapids, MN where he was a DJ at KOZY.  

It wasn’t long before he was hired at KROC in Rochester, MN where he was a DJ, did commercials and also reported news and weather on television. He moved on to Eau Claire, WI where he worked in advertising sales and did the weather at WEAU, but would go on to start WAXX, the first country music radio station and become General Manager (GM) of WEAU television.  

His greatest successes would be in managing stations and mentoring his employees. His next stop was KTVV/KHFI in Austin, TX where in 1978 he met and married his second wife Rebecca (Becky) Boyd (d.1998). Shortly after, Allan became GM of KOTV in Tulsa, OK. In 1983, he was promoted to KXTV in Sacramento, CA and in 1987 Allan became President/GM of his first top-ten market station at KHOU in Houston, TX. He left each station higher in the ratings than they were before he arrived. He was known throughout the industry as the turn-around man. In fact, he received the Pioneer Broadcaster of the Year Award from the Texas Association of Broadcasters in 1995. Allan returned to run KXTV again until he retired in 1998. He remained living in the Sacramento area and continued to do voice-over work until the end. He certainly realized his childhood dream.

Allan also believed in giving back. He was actively involved in numerous organizations, including the Lion’s Club, Rotary, Houston Symphony, Salvation Army and the California Railroad Museum. In his spare time, he received an MBA from LeTourneau University and did post-graduate study at Harvard University. He had a legendary sense of humor and loved cars, traveling, snow skiing, playing guitar, model trains and his many pets.

Allan is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 15 years, Brenda Giles Espeseth; along with three children; Robyn (Benjamin) Barnes of Houston TX, Anthony Espeseth of Chetek, WI, and Sean (Rita) Josephson of Katy, TX; five grandchildren; Jessica Barnes, Nicholas Barnes, Heather Barnes, Nicole Espeseth and Jacob Josephson; step-siblings; John (Carol) Fjelstul, Connie (David) Price and Alice (George) Rostad; and many other beloved relatives.

Friends are welcome to attend the memorial service that will be held at on Saturday, January 4, 2020 at 11:00AM at Price Funeral Chapel, 6335 Sunrise Blvd., Citrus Heights. Following the memorial service, there will be a Celebration of Allan's Life service at 12:30PM at The North Ridge Country Club, 7600 Madison Ave., Fair Oaks, 916-967-9717 . Please feel free to offer condolences here on Allan's obituary page. 

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