Former Hudson Valley Morning Show Radio Host Dies at 53

A former popular Hudson Valley morning show radio host has died at the age of 53.

According to his sister former WPDH morning show host John Steffanci had a short illness with his liver that ended up being fatal. He died last Friday in Nevada where he had been working and living since 1994.

John was born in Beacon he co-hosted the WPDH morning show with the late Stew Schantz from 1985 until 1988. One of John's proudest accomplishments at WPDH were the annual "Roof-A-Thons" which raised money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

In addition to co-hosting the WPDH Morning Show, John also hosted the WEOK interview and call-in program TALKBACK. In 1988, an on-air interview John conducted with then Dutchess County Sheriff Fred Scoralick made news as it took place during the highly charged and controversial Tawana Brawley Case, in which Brawley initially accused several men, including a part time police officer of having attacked her. John's interview with the sheriff was mentioned in the 1990 book “Outrage: The Story Behind the Tawana Brawley Hoax”

The SUNY New Paltz graduate also hosted a daytime talk show and morning show at WKIP in Poughkeepsie from 1989-1994.

Funeral services are set for Friday March 11 in Las Vegas.