State College Broadcaster Pat Boland Dies at 42

UPDATED @ 10:12 a.m. July 6: Memorial arrangements for Pat Boland have been announced. Details are posted on this page.

Earlier reports are posted below.

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UPDATED @ 8:52 p.m. July 5: StateCollege.com has posted a more thorough report about Pat Boland’s life on this page.

An earlier report is posted below.

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Earlier coverage, posted @ 10:21 a.m. July 5:

Longtime State College broadcast journalist and personality Pat Boland has died after a prolonged battle with cancer, his WRSC radio colleagues Kevin Nelson and Jeff Byers reported.

Boland was 42.

‘I just hope God needed him more than we do,’ Nelson said on WRSC Tuesday morning. ‘Godspeed, Pat Boland.’

Boland, who worked most recently as a program director at Forever Broadcasting in State College, co-hosted the WRSC weekday morning programs with Nelson. He was long regarded as one of the most established, respected broadcast journalists in Centre County.

The scope of Boland’s broadcast work ranged from politics to sports. He was known, too, for his sharp wit and dry humor.

Nelson said he imagines Boland is ‘shaking up the news department in heaven right now.’

Byers had been filling in on WRSC in recent weeks as Boland focused on his health. On the air Tuesday morning, Byers asked listeners to keep Boland’s ‘family in your prayers.’

‘A lot of great memories,’ Byers said, grasping for words. ‘ … I am grateful that he was not suffering at the end. … It’s a small thing to be grateful for, but kind of all we’ve got right now.’

StateCollege.com will have a more complete report about Boland’s life and memorial arrangements.