Berkshire radio journalist Tom Jay has died

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. (WWLP) - A familiar voice for radio listeners in Berkshire County has gone silent.

Tom Jaworski, better known as Tom Jay, passed away in Springfield Wednesday morning, days after suffering a massive heart attack.

Jay began his career in radio at Great Barrington’s WSBS-AM/FM when he was a teenager, and worked with the station for more than 40 years as an announcer, anchor, and engineer. He was later promoted to the post of news director.

Drew Larkin from WSBS told 22News he credits Jay with growing the station.

"Just an icon in the sense of what he did to this place, basically built this place from not to much to what it is today," she said.

"He did it all just definitely a master of a lot of trades here at the radio station," Jesse Stuart of WSBS said.

Jay's work was an important service to the community. He was on the air all night during the Great Barrington Tornado in the 1990's, and was well-known for his local news coverage every morning. Indeed, for more than 42 years, mornings in the Southern Berkshires meant a "wake up call" on the radio from Tom Jay.

"How could you wake up in the morning and not hear Tom Jay? I mean it wasn't morning if you didn't hear Tom's voice, and you knew it was a new day and it was going to be good," Pamela Clarke of Great Barrington said.

For all that he had done for the people of the Berkshires, the Associated Press honored him with a lifetime achievement award.

A longtime friend to 22News, Jay also provided reports for our station on happenings in Berkshire County.

But being a broadcast personality was only one of many hats that Tom Jay wore. A veteran, Jay served in the U.S. Navy as a radio operator, and also served the U.S. State Department in Tunisia and Algeria. He was also a boy scout leader, a Disney fanatic, and even a justice of the peace.

"We do not have a mayor in Great Barrington officially. I would say Tom Jay is the mayor of Great Barrington," said Linda of Great Barrington.

A wake will be held on Friday from 4:00-7:00 P.M. at the Birches-Roy Funeral Home in Great Barrington with a funeral Mass Saturday at 10:00 A.M. at St. Peter's Church, with burial to follow.