Thunder Radio is saddened to report to you that Howard Clutter, longtime host of Swap & Shop and other various programs on our airwaves, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. He was 80 years old.
“Howard was the well-recognized voice, the smiling face behind the microphone and the unbelievably friendly personality behind Thunder Radio’s Swap and Shop – probably our most popular and well-known program on Thunder Radio,” said Thunder Radio co-owner Josh Peterson. “Holly and I are sending our prayers to Rob, Tiffany, Helen and the Clutter family during this most difficult time. We ask that our community do the same.”
Howard always brought a smile behind the microphone that all of Coffee County could hear through their car radios, computers and telephones – starting most every show with: “Well Hello everybody, it’s time for Swap and Shop. You know, that program where you buy, sell and trade stuff with other people.”
He continued to host the show up until the time of his passing.
“The phones usually ring off the hook for Swap and Shop, but occasionally when we would get a lull Howard would almost get excited to play some of his ‘Golden Oldies’ music that he would crank up during a slow time,” said Thunder Radio co-owner Holly Peterson. “The program was around before Howard and will continue, but it will just never be the same without him in the building.”
Howard was integral in much of the behind-the-scenes engineering of the radio station for the past 15 years during the tenure that the station was owned by his son and daughter-in-law – Rob and Tiffany Clutter. He gladly stayed on to continue hosting Swap and Shop every day of the week after Josh and Holly Peterson purchased the station in September of 2019.
Visitation with the family will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, with funeral to follow at 1 p.m. from Central Funeral Home in Manchester. Read the complete obituary here. .
