CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas—Gene Looper, a fixture on South Texas radio and television for more than 50 years, died last week. He was 86.

Looper’s wife, Gloria, told The Associated Press he died at their home after a short illness.

He delivered news about hurricanes, the first moon landing, the Vietnam war and the John F. Kennedy assassination using a matter-of-fact, man-on-the-street style. Looper was a television anchor and program director for Corpus Christi television station KZTV and worked for radio station KSIX starting in 1951.