In Memory: Joseph Vincent Trankina, Veteran Radio Broadcaster

The following obituary was submitted by Roswell Funeral Home:

Joseph Vincent Trankina, Jr., 83, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Dec. 7, at his home in Alpharetta, where he was lovingly cared for by his wife, Bettye and his three children with the assistance of wonderful home health nurses and nursing aides.

Joe and his twin sister, Nina Rae, were born in Chicago, Illinois, on Dec. 17, 1930, to Joseph Vincent Trankina, Sr. and Raphaela Rosalie Galluzzi Trankina.

Joe is survived by his wife of 58 years Bettye Halbrooks Trankina, his daughter Deena Rae Trankina, two sons – Dr. Jon Vincent Trankina (Kimberly Blankenship Trankina) and Timothy Joseph Trankina (Kimberly Kushay Trankina), and five grandchildren – Olivia, Elise, Ben, Ava, and Ryan Trankina. He is also survived by a brother, Dr. Vincent Anthony Trankina and sister Nina Rae Trankina Lacey (Herbert L. Lacey) and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Tony Fontane, Mercury and RCA recording artist and Christian musical evangelist.

Joe’s father, Rev. Trankina, moved the family from Chicago to North Dakota in February 1935 where he served as a home missionary to the Indians on reservations and the farmers in remote areas. In 1942, his father founded the Grand Forks Rescue Mission and Service Center, now known as the Northlands Rescue Mission. Joe graduated from Central High School in Grand Forks, ND in 1948 and in 1949, from Beck School for Radio in Minneapolis, MN.

He rode the train south to his first job in radio as an announcer at WMSL in Decatur, Alabama, where, three years later, he met his southern belle wife-to-be. After two years in the US Army Signal Corp and Bettye’s graduation from college, he and Bettye married in Decatur in 1956.

They have lived in Douglas and Fitzgerald, Georgia, Mobile, Alabama, Tucker, Georgia, East Brunswick, New Jersey, Pensacola, Florida and Alpharetta.

Joe was a veteran broadcaster with a lifetime of serving the radio industry, using his abbreviated name, Joe Vincent. He has been referred to as a master sales trainer – from smaller market radio to New York City. His career spanned from on-air broadcasting and TV weatherman to advertising sales, sales management and general management. He organized and placed several radio stations on the air.

During fifteen years with the Radio Advertising Bureau, New York, he served as field rep, regional vice president, and senior vice president. While with RAB, Joe conducted numerous training seminars and meetings for individual stations and groups, coaching and counseling; he led workshops, local advertising seminars, spoke to retail trade associations, state and national broadcast associations, colleges and universities. He was a mentor to many as he worked to promote growth and professionalism in radio.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. at the Roswell Funeral Home, with visitation starting at 2 p.m. until time of service and Rev. Dean Ropp officiating.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Northlands Rescue Mission, 420 Division Ave., Grand Forks, ND 58201.

Photo credit: Patch file