Jeff Clabaugh, whose upbringing in the Midwest led him to provide business news reports for WTOP News for decades, died Thursday at 63 years old, the .
Clabaugh died at his home on Thursday following a yearlong cancer battle and just two days after he gave his final money news report on the station’s airwaves, the station confirmed. Beside him was his partner of 35 years, Russ Rader.
If you knew about consumer business, then chances are you knew Clabaugh. His voice has been heard on the WTOP airwaves since the 1990s, when he started as a news anchor. He left for the Washington Business Journal, but returned in 2016 as WTOP’s in-house business reporter, according to the station.
“Jeff had the kind of voice and writing style that was conversational yet informative. He was warm,” WTOP General Manager Joel Oxley said in an article posted . “He was smart.”
In an article written by the station, he was known for his sense of humor and a commitment to bringing a smile to people’s faces. He was also known as a big foodie. Outside of work, he would visit his second home on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the station.
His career started in Omaha, Nebraska, at radio station WOW, branching out to USA Today Sky Radio and Radio Netherlands, according to the station.
7News is a news partner of WTOP News.