CBC Montreal's 1st female TV anchor Kathy Keefler remembered for her 'brilliant mind', 'big heart'

Kathy Keefler, a well-respected former television news anchor for CBC Montreal, died early Friday morning at the age of 88. 

Keefler is described as a pioneer by former co-workers, becoming the first-ever female TV anchor at CBC Montreal in the 1980s. She worked at the corporation for 26 years between 1967 and 1993. 

Starting her career in radio, Keefler moved into the world of TV broadcast on a show called Consumer Scope before securing a position on a three-person team hosting CBC Montreal's late-night newscast, then titled Newswatch. She gradually became the sole host of the show until 1987, when she was replaced by Dennis Trudeau. 

"She was one of the trailblazers for feminism in journalism," said former co-worker Carol Berringer, who worked with Keefler for decades on the late-night newscast. 

"She was a very kind person, a very inspirational person, but she wouldn't be pushed around," she said of Keefler's professionalism and determination in her profession, which was predominantly male-dominated at the start of her career.

The talented retired journalist died Friday from complications of a stroke, according to her daughter, Nicole Keefler, who described her mother as a pillar in her community. 

"She was just an extraordinary woman, she had a brilliant mind and she had a big heart," said Nicole, adding Keefler was "very, very community-oriented." 

A regular trip to the grocery store could take up to three hours between Montrealers stopping to meet Keefler, who would always give them the time of day, her daughter recalled.

"She really was the face of Montreal, I think she just really connected with people," she said. 

One of those long-lasting connections came in the form of a friendship with retired CBC broadcaster Dave Bronstetter, who hosted CBC Montreal's morning radio show Daybreak from 1995 to 2006. 

"She was a person who just got up and got things going," Bronstetter said, recalling his time on the three-person anchoring team with Keefler. 

"She didn't do a lot of 'oh gosh, I shouldn't try this' or 'oh gosh, I shouldn't try that' — she just got things moving," he said. 

While Keefler's ability as a broadcaster couldn't be discounted, it was her sense of humour and supportive nature that made her such a pleasure to work with, Bronstetter said.

"If Kathy was laughing in a room, the entire room was laughing," he said. "We can all talk about the great broadcasting — she was a wonderfully tremendous pro — but Kathy also loved to have a really fun time. I loved her, I really did. She was special."