Walk of Fame

Bette Rogge Morse (1922-2015) was a longtime radio and television personality known as the Grande Dame of Dayton-area broadcasting. Born in Dayton, she was a graduate of the University of Dayton and did post-graduate work at Northwestern and Columbia universities. She began her career in radio and then became the first woman in the area to host a local television variety show. She was a regular radio and television commercial announcer in both Columbus and Dayton. Morse was on the cutting edge of color TV, and did the first national color TV program from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Sought after as an interviewer for visiting celebrities, she was always prepared and was a natural in front of a camera. As a reporter, she interviewed countless individuals and covered events of national and international significance. She joined the UD faculty in the Department of Communications and was among the first women to serve on the UD Board of Trustees. The Salvation Army benefited from her talents when she served as president of the local chapter. She was awarded an honorary degree of Humane Letters from UD in 1999 for her service to the community and her career achievements, and was inducted into the Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2003. Every Monday the Dayton Daily News will feature honorees from the Dayton Region’s Walk of Fame. Visit the Walk of Fame in person on West Third Street in Dayton, between Broadway and Shannon. For more information or to place a nomination, visit www.daytonwalkoffame.citymax.com.