Extracted from the Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX)
Friday, April 3, 1964

Ex-Radio Star Ard Dies

Wilbur Ard, former WFAA radio station personality who was band leader and master of ceremonies of the popular Early Birds show for 17 years between 1934 and 1957, died here Thursday. He was 62.

At the time of his death, he was a band and orchestra leader at the Dan D. Rogers Elementary School.

In 1960, after operating a music company in Pampa, he began teaching in the Irving school district. The next year he began teaching band and orchestra in the Dallas school system.

A native of Seagoville, he attended Southern Methodist University and was a member of the first swing band at the school. He went on tour with some of the big bands in the `30s and he was one of the organizers of the former Checkerboard Gang, a musical trio.

Mr. Ard played the part of Uncle Amos Plunkett, a humorous sage, on WFAA's Saturday night Rural Mail Show. He was with the radio station for 21 years before leaving in 1957.

Mr. Ard had a varied career before and while he was in the entertainment business. At one time or another he ran the family lumber yard and worked as an undertaker, grocer, printer and insurance salesman.

A versatile musician, he sang and played the saxophone, clarinet, flute and the piano.

Last year he was president of the local musicians' union.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in University Park Methodist Church, where he was a member. Burial will be in Lee Memorial Cemetery in Seagoville.

Survivors: a daughter, Mrs. Carl Dodd of Dallas; a son, Dr. J. W. Ard of Dallas; his mother, Mrs. Gertrude Ard of Dallas; a brother, Harry C. Ard of New York City; two sisters, Mrs. Vesta Wiser of Plainview and Mrs. Ray Shaw of Dallas; and four grandchildren.