Pierre Kimsey, a longtime producer at WKNO, the Memphis PBS affiliate, died unexpectedly last week.
Kimsey, who died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 62, spent the past 10 years at WKNO as producer for the weekly Behind the Headlines public affairs show.
Kimsey began his career in broadcasting in 1972, spending time as a radio reporter before transitioning to TV. His career took him to West Palm Beach, Charlotte and Detroit.
His colleague Jackson Baker wrote a touching tribute to his friend on Memphis Flyer:
His real accomplishment, his real grace, was as a human being. He was endlessly thoughtful, a pure delight, solicitous to a fault with those he worked with.
Pierre had every right, as an artist of considerable stature, to indulge himself in ego trips, but he was remarkably self-effacing instead, always at the service of others, taking care of their needs and concerns. It was that unique empathy that made him so effective as reporter, interviewer, producer, and friend.