Woody Durham, the beloved and iconic Hall of Fame voice of Carolina Basketball and Football for 40 years, died peacefully at home from complications from Primary Progressive Aphasia on March 7. The 2011 NFF Chris Schenkel Award recipient was 76 years old. 

A 1963 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Durham was the radio voice of the Tar Heels from 1971-2011, painting a vivid picture of Tar Heel legends for generations of fans, and became himself a Carolina institution.

The Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association will honor Durham at the 2018 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament with the Bob Bradley Spirit and Courage Award, recognizing the grace and dignity with which in recent years he publicly dealt with Primary Progressive Aphasia, a degenerative brain disorder that negatively impacted his ability to communicate as he once mastered. In June, Durham will be inducted into the National Sports Media Association's Hall of Fame. Durham received the Curt Gowdy Media Award for contributions to basketball from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

"Our family is grateful for the incredible support my dad and our family received throughout his illness," says Wes Durham. "From the medical teams to the general public, it's been amazing. We hold to and will always cherish the wonderful memories he left for our family and Carolina fans throughout the world."

Born in Mebane, N.C., and raised in Albemarle, Woody Durham soon became a fixture in Chapel Hill and throughout the Tar Heel State, calling 23 Tar Heel football bowl games, 13 men's basketball Final Fours and six national championship games, including the NCAA title-winning seasons in 1982, 1993, 2005 and 2009.

Durham won the North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year Award 13 times. He was also inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame and the Mebane Sports Hall of Fame.

Durham received a distinguished service medal from the UNC General Alumni Association for outstanding service to the University and the alumni association; the William R. Davie Award, given by the UNC Board of Trustees to recognize extraordinary service to the University; the Skeeter Francis Award for special service to the Atlantic Coast Conference; the Russell Blunt Legends Award from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association for being a true legend in athletics; the Lindsey Nelson Outstanding Sportscaster Award from the All-American Football Foundation; the Outstanding Service Award from the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Board of Visitors; a Priceless Gem from UNC Athletics; and a Distinguished Service Award from the NCHSAA.

"Woody was synonymous with Carolina Athletics for decades and his voice was gospel to generations of Tar Heels who trusted his every word," says NFF Board Member John Swofford, the Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference and Director of Athletics at UNC from 1980-97. "I was struck by how diligently Woody prepared for his broadcast of games. When game time arrived, he made it look and sound so easy because he had a voice that resonated just so, but much of it was because he worked incredibly hard at it. As they say 'the great ones make it look easy'. Woody was one of the great ones. He was just as good a person as he was a broadcaster.

"My thoughts and prayers, as well as those of the entire Atlantic Coast Conference, go out to Jean, Wes, Taylor and the entire Durham family."

Since retiring after the 2010-11 football and basketball seasons, Durham continued to be honored for his work and contributions to the community: in 2011, the National Football Foundation presented him with the Chris Schenkel Award;  in 2012, he was the inaugural recipient of the Nice Lombardi Excellence in College Broadcasting Award; in 2016, the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro named him a Town Treasure, which is given to its exceptional citizens; and last year, the Knoxville (Tenn.) Quarterback Club honored Durham with the Lindsey Nelson Broadcasting Award.

His broadcast career spanned the collegiate playing days of 2018 College Football Hall of Fame electee Coach Mack Brown, Hall of Famers Dre Bly and William Fuller, and NFF National Scholar-Athletes Harris Barton, William Brafford, Kevin Donnalley, Rick Donnalley and Mark Maye.

Durham called play-by-play on the Tar Heel Sports Network on more than 1,800 football and men's basketball broadcasts.

He was sports director at WUNC while attending Carolina, sports director at WFMY-TV in Greensboro from 1963-77 and at WPTF-TV in Raleigh from 1977-1981. Since 1981, he worked for the Tar Heel Sports Network with VilCom Inc. of Chapel Hill and Learfield Communications Inc. of Jefferson City, Mo.

Carolina fans are encouraged to share their favorite memories of Woody via Twitter @GoHeels using the hashtag #HeyWoody.

He is survived by his wife, Jean, to whom he was married for 54 years; their two sons, Wes and Taylor; and two grandchildren, Emily and Will. Wes is the radio voice of the Atlanta Falcons and broadcasts college football and basketball for Raycom Sports and Fox. Taylor is the play-by-play announcer for Elon University.

A celebration of Woody's life is planned for Sunday, April 8th, at Carmichael Arena on the UNC campus.

Memorial gifts may be made to the following:

Medical Foundation of NC
For Woody Durham Fund
PO Box 1050
Chapel Hill NC 27514

UNC Hospice
287 East Street, Suite 221
Pittsboro NC 27312