Central Florida remembered longtime Channel 6 anchor and Central Florida television legend Ben Aycrigg at a memorial service Tuesday.
Aycrigg was the first television news reporter in Central Florida and began his career when Channel 6 launched in 1961 as the first television station in Central Florida, known then as WDBO, long before it was WKMG. Channel 6 started with one reporter (Aycrigg), one anchor and one photojournalist.
"He was so reassuring on the air that people felt comfortable approaching him out in public," said Aycrigg's son, Chris, at the memorial service in front of a crowd of hundreds. "They would often come up and say 'Hi Ben!' And dad, never certain if he knew them or not, was always gracious."
Aycrigg started at a time when Central Florida was rapidly expanding and growth was the "biggest continuing news story we have," as Aycrigg described it. Those were the days of film cameras, dark rooms, and ticker machines.
For 35 years, Aycrigg appeared on television screens across Central Florida, first as a reporter then as an anchor.
"It's kinda like full circle, because when I started my career he was my first co-anchor," said Annetta Wilson, the first African-American anchor in Central Florida. "And then when he ended his career I was proud to be sitting by his side."
"And because he was serious about the work, the rest of us said we had to get serious," said Wilson. "He was the dean of the newsroom and showed us how it was supposed to be done."
Aycrigg became known as the Walter Cronkite of Central Florida and one of the most respected voices in Central Florida news.
"He knew the public trusted us that when we came on the air people believed what we said," said Wilson. "It was important that what we were saying was the truth."
"Even Walter Cronkite looked up to Ben, and that's saying a lot," said senior Local 6 photojournalist Tee Taylor, who was hired by Aycrigg in 1970. "I basically owe my career to him in the news department to Ben because he saw something in me. 45 years later I'm still doing the same thing he taught me."
Aycrigg moved to Winter Park from Massachusetts in 1942 and attended Winter Park High School and Rollins College. He was also instrumental in launching WPRK-FM, Rollins College radio station.
The memorial service was held across the street from Rollins College at All Saints Episcopal Church in Winter Park where Aycrigg had regularly attended.
"He was a family man, very much a family man," Gerry Aycrigg, Ben's brother. "He'd raised 3 beautiful children."
Gerry Aycrigg said his brother passed up a prestigious opportunity at CBS News in New York City. He didn't want to leave his family in Maitland or Local 6.
"As a father, he was fantastic. He came home for dinner every night," said Chris Aycrigg. "As soon as the 6 o'clock news was over, he would jump in the car and scramble home. He'd stay till about 8:45 and then head back to prepare for the 11 o'clock broadcast. It was the only way we got to see him during the week."
"First and foremost was his family and his faith," said Wilson. "Ben was one of those people that whatever he said you believed it, because he lived that way. There was no Ben off the air and on the air."
Aycrigg retired from Channel 6 in 1996.
He was 88 years old when he died of renal failure last Tuesday night surrounded by family at his Maitland home.
Ben Aycrigg is survived by his sister, brother, wife and three children.