A Message From WURD Radio President and CEO, Sara Lomax-Reese Regarding Cody Anderson

February 21, 2021 21 7

It is with a very heavy heart that we acknowledge the passing of radio icon Cody Anderson. According to his family he passed peacefully on Saturday evening. Cody was instrumental in breathing life into WURD and shepherding it over our almost 20 years, first as General Manager and most recently as a beloved host, mentor and friend. Like his biological family, the WURD family will miss him deeply. But we are grateful for his tireless and generous support of independent Black media, which he championed every day of his life, especially through his advocacy of WURD Radio.

Cartoon of W. Cody Anderson – Courtesy of Signe Wilkinson

Up until the time of his passing, Cody Anderson was actively involved at WURD Radio in a myriad of ways. He was the co-host of The Electric Magazine with Vikki Leach every Saturday from 7-9am; co-host of bi-weekly 10am Saturday morning shows with City Council President Darrell Clarke and Philadelphia School Superintendent Dr. William Hite; co-host of the weekly Laborer’s Live show every Friday from 4-5pm; and he regularly guest hosted wherever and whenever we needed him. His office was in the same building, on the same floor and just a few doors down from WURD’s offices. He flowed in and out of the WURD headquarters, offering gentle but firm guidance to our hosts, producers, sales team — all of us. He offered me wise counsel cultivated from a long career as a radio manager, entrepreneur and community servant.

On December 4th, WURD honored Cody in a 3-hour celebration at our annual Empowerment Experience event. During this program we heard from current WURD hosts, radio pioneers he worked with during his long career, and friends and family who have been influenced by his life and legacy. You can find a link to the AUDIO and see the video below:

Additionally, Cody was featured in the first episode of our new podcast, OnWURD: 2020 In Black, which explored the power, significance and possibility of Black owned and operated radio. Both of these offer a powerful record of Cody Anderson’s thoughts and insights, in his own words.

“WURD was his home. WURD was his family,” his oldest son, Kyle Anderson, said to me recently. And we are his.

Rest in peace and power Cody Anderson. His was a life well lived.

For more information, contact: SLR@wurdradio.com or Marketing@wurdradio.com

Learn more about the life and legacy of W. Cody Anderson below:

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Post comments (7)

Alice Wright on February 21, 2021

I will miss Cody,he was my brother and friend.I met him at WDAS with Georgie Woods and Joey.I’ll miss him on Saturday morning saying good morning to Alice the block captain.Cody was a good man,RIP ,MY BROTHER MY FRIEND

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Aminata Sandra Calhoun on February 22, 2021

WURD RADIO is living life likes it’s GOLDEN!
William Cody Anderson, I revere and hold him as a solid rock in my heart, soul and mind.
It was William Cody Anderson that provided me the opportunity to make my first sojourn to Africa, August, 1996.
To the Anderson family, I extend warm and deeply sincere condolences.
William Cody Anderson is grossly missed. It is a struggle listening to WURD RADIO without the voice Father and Shepherd W. Cody Anderson.
Submitted with a Heavy Heart!
Aminata Sandra Calhoun
7 Year WURD Member
feelingenvironmentsFE@gmail.com
267.414.9584

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Edward Jake Johnson on February 23, 2021

We thank God for Cody Anderson. He put a brother here on earth that helped multitudes of people. I can see him waving goodbye and telling us that everything will be alright, “I’ll take care of it.” He was always taking care of things. He made a difference in people’s lives on and off the radio .

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Hattie (Hotep) Northern on February 23, 2021

My buddy, my friend, William Cody Anderson. What a great loss of a gentle giant, a man’s man, a dignified man, a loving husband, a noble roll model for his children, a humble individual for all he has done for those who crossed his path in need of some kind of help and/or assistance.

Cody, I miss you already and I will for a long time, along with everyone else. You have been a blessing to so, so many people and definitely a blessing to me. Thank you for the Volunteers for Change group and all the other projects that I have had the fortune to be a part of with Dr. Ijoy and others.

Cody, I will miss your wisdom, your anecdotes, your political views, and all, with Vikki, Dr. Burton, and the listeners on Saturday mornings on WURD’S Electric Magazine, as well as your other programs on WURD.

I, along with many others, prayed so hard for your recovery, but God said, sorry earthlings, it is time for this Angel to come home. So I must say Good by Cody–my buddy, my friend.

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Trudi Williams on February 24, 2021

Saturday mornings, Electric Magazine, Cody and Vikki …..Cody’s voice will be missed.as he recognized the ancestors who are welcoming him. He has been a true TREASURE to all who listened to WURD. Such a giant who was filled with wisdom, character, and love. Sleep on Cody you will be remembered by many.

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Lorene Bronner on February 25, 2021

My sincerest condolences are extended to Cody Anderson’s immediate family and his extended WURD family of which I became a member in 2019. My interview with Vikki and Cody on Saturday, March 30, 2019 while I was in New Orleans will remain in my heart as special and unforgettable. Cody said something funny that made me laugh. Vikki encouraged me to become a member of the station and I started listening to radio again and was hooked on it. Of course, I had heard much about Cody but had not officially met him. My membership gave me the opportunity to attend the WURD Christmas Party at the Cambria Hotel in downtown, Philadelphia in December 2019 and I was treated like family. I found Vikki and introduced myself, she in turn introduced me to Cody and he said something funny again that made me laugh. I will continue to listen to WURD and support the station always remembering Cody and saying his name as he did every Saturday morning to his family and the WURD family so they will remain in our hearts and live on. Cody was a gifted multitalented man, who loved his family and humanity, we will miss him, but if we pick up the mantle and continue in his footsteps, all that he did will not be in vain. May he rest in peace with our ancestors. Lorene Bronner

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- DONALD DEXTER FORD on March 6, 2021
  
  MASTERPIECE TRUE TESTIMONY CLEAR FOCUS AS WITNESSED CLOSE RANGE BY ALL GENERATIONS RESPECTED IN A MULTITUDE OF COMMUNITIES…….VERY HONORABLE WELL DESERVED ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF CODY’S RELENTLESS YET REWARDING WORK
  
  Reply

A Message From WURD Radio President and CEO, Sara Lomax-Reese Regarding Cody Anderson