Former ABC-12 and NBC-25 News Anchor Passes Away at Age 85

A former anchor who held on‑air roles at both WJRT‑TV (ABC‑12) and WEYI‑TV (NBC‑25) has passed away at the age of 85. The veteran broadcaster quietly left the spotlight in recent years, but his death brings back memories of a career that spanned decades in the television news business and touched viewers across the region.

Early Career in Mid‑Michigan

Although he spent just a few of his early broadcast years in Mid‑Michigan, many remember Jerry Taff as the lead anchor at WJRT‑TV in the mid‑1970s. He moved to WEYI‑TV a couple of years later, when the station was still a CBS affiliate—long before it switched to NBC in 1995.

Mentorship and Michael Moore

According to Taff's Wikipedia page, he reported on Michael Moore when Moore was a teenager elected to the Davison school board. Taff later became a mentor to Moore, who praised him for his courage, saying, "He was the one media person in a town dominated by General Motors to have the courage to report the truth."

Taff also held broadcast roles in Dallas and New Haven, Connecticut, before landing a long-term position at WISN‑TV in Milwaukee. He served as one of the station's lead anchors for 26 years, retiring in 2005. He returned to his home in Texas after retiring.

Jerry Taff Legacy and Sign-Off

Taff became known for his nightly sign-off, using the phrase, "Good Night. And Better Tomorrows," leaving behind a quiet legacy in local television.

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