Cary J. Hahn

Cary Joe Hahn, 75 of Cedar Rapids, died Friday, August 5, 2023 at St. Luke’s Hospital. Services: 2 p.m. Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at Teahen Funeral Home. Burial: Oak Grove Cemetery in St. Charles, MO. Friends may visit with the family after 1 p.m. Wednesday, prior to the service. 

Cary Hahn is survived by his wife Jean Hahn of Cedar Rapids and three brothers, Dennis (Shirley) Hahn of St. Charles, MO, Jeff Hahn of St. Charles, MO and Wes (Sheila) Hahn of O’Fallon, MO.  

Cary Hahn was preceded in death by his parents.

Cary Joe Hahn was born on October 12, 1947 son of Kenneth J. and Darlene Mae (Rowe) Hahn in St. Charles, MO. He graduated from St. Charles High School and attended Lindenwood University. Cary proudly served in the United States Navy where he also did broadcasting and was moral boosting to his fellow crew members.  He was united in marriage to Jean Elaine Abernathy on June 7, 2001 in Clarida, Iowa town square.

Cary J. Hahn began his 54-year broadcasting career on the campus radio station at Lindenwood College in his hometown of St. Charles, MO.  After radio stints in Lincoln, Nebraska, Jefferson City and Kansas City, Missouri, he came to Iowa in 1979 to be bureau chief for KTVO-TV, Ottumwa-Kirksville.

He was the CBS 2 Iowa Traveler from 1983 to 2008, before returning to his first love…radio… as News Director for 93.1 FM and 1450 KMRY Radio in Cedar Rapids.  

Since 2005, he has hosted “Big Band Memories” Sunday afternoon 1-3 p.m. on 88.3 KCCK, Iowa’s Jazz station at Kirkwood Community College.

Cary has won awards from the Iowa Broadcast News Association’s highest honor, Associated Press, United Press, Northwest Broadcast News Association, the 2004 Stanley Foundation Global Connections Award, the Iowa Film Award for feature reporting and the Iowa Motion Picture Award for general reporting, and a National Archives Certificate of Appreciation from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum.

Cary and his wife Jean are St. Louis Cardinal baseball fans.  They loved to travel and go to concerts.  He also loved the family cats, old movies, books, W.C. fields, Jack Benny, collects political campaign buttons, records and CD’s of all kinds.

Memorials may be directed to the family for a charity of their choice.