Longtime Sanilac Broadcasting Personality and Polka Host Paul Osentoski Passes Away
March 22, 2024
The Sanilac Broadcasting Family (Sandusky) is mourning the loss of one of its most popular and familiar voices. Paul Osentoski, who has worked with the company since 1980, passed away on March 12, 2024 at the age of 70.
For 38 years, Paul worked full-time as an announcer and engineer. He was best known for his Saturday and Sunday polka shows, where he had a large audience throughout most of lower Michigan. Paul was inducted into the Michigan Polka Hall of Fame in 2005.
During the week in the ’80s and early ’90s, Paul hosted an afternoon oldies show on WMIC-AM radio. Then, from 1995 until he retired from full-time work in 2018, he played the Country Classics on AM-660 between 9:00 a.m. and noon.
Paul continued to do the Sunday Polka Show live each weekend, right up until this last month. Paul was the ultimate professional. He always worked above and beyond his health problems. I can count on one hand the days that he called in and said that he couldn’t be in for his show.
For more than 35 years, Paul was the voice of Sunday mornings–making the trip from his home in Marysville, and always on time. In fact, I think Paul blazed a path ahead of the snowplows just to make it here on time to announce the weather reports and church closing announcements.
Paul is survived by three brothers–Thomas, Anthony and Joseph, who live in Marysville.