Longtime Phoenix News Anchor Kent Dana Dies at 80

PHOENIX, AZ —Longtime Phoenix news anchor Kent Dana died Tuesday at the age of 80.

The cause of death was an infection that developed after hip surgery this past winter, according to Dana's family.

Dana spent 30 years on local television, beginning his career at KHOOL-TV in 1974, spending 25 years at 12 News (KPNX) and then moving to KPHO-TV. He retired in 2011.

Dana is a member of the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame, won several Emmy awards and received the Rocky Mountain Emmy Governor's Award in 2018.

In a tribute, 12 News highlighted the Wednesday's Child series that Dana and his producer Julie Frisoni Shumway brought to air.

For the series — which was a partnership with Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) —Dana profiled children in the foster system, bringing attention to their plight and to adoption in general.

"Hundreds or even thousands of kids found a permanent home because of Kent Dana," Shumway said. "AASK would tell us they would get hundreds of phone calls after a story aired and maybe it wouldn't work for that child, but it would develop a relationship for parents to adopt someone else."

Broadcasting runs in the Dana family. Kent's father Joe Dana was a radio and TV personality from the 1930s to 1950s and Kent Dana's son, also Joe Dana, currently is a reporter for 12 News.

In a 2019 profile of Kent Dana, the Arizona Republic called him "one of the most popular local news anchors in Phoenix TV history," and noted that he still was recognized regularly around town.

"It happens a lot," Dana said about being recognized. "What's bizarre to me is I'll be out in public and I'll need to shave, I'll have a horrible shirt on, I'll look awful, and someone will say, 'I know that guy.' But it happens a lot. People are really nice about it, too. They don't ever intrude on you. I don't mind it. I figure when it's all over, it's all over."

Shumway told 12 News that Dana was both professional and fun.

"I think a lot of people view Kent as a figure kind of larger than life," Shumway said. "But when you knew Kent Dana he was absolutely the opposite of that. He was hilarious, he was warm and would give you the shirt off his back."

According to 12 News, Dana is survived by his wife Janet, their two children, his four children from his first marriage and 13 grandchildren. Dana was surrounded by his family at the time of his death.