Even though Ramon “Ray” Hooper was the general manager for WAVS (1170 AM) radio station in Davie, he could be seen cleaning toilets or taking out the trash.

“He would do anything to make sure the business was run properly,” said Lynore Clarke, the station’s traffic manager. “He managed from the top to the bottom.”

Mr. Hooper, who has been credited with making WAVS the first 24-hour West Indian programming station in the country, died of cancer at his Parkland home on Tuesday. He was 71.

A native of Danville, Ky., Mr. Hooper graduated from Wilcox County High School in Wilcox, Ala. He spent four years in the Navy and received an honorable discharge in 1952.

He discovered his knack for radio as a radio officer in the service. “Radio was his thing; that’s what he loved,” said his wife, Barbara, whom he married in 1958. He received his education in the broadcast business from Centre College in Danville, Ky., and Don Martin School of Radio and TV Arts in Hollywood, Calif.

He held a number of management positions at small radio stations in Kentucky and Tennessee, among them vice president and general manager of WSMG in Greensville, Tenn.; general manager of WAXU in Georgetown, Ky.; and general manager of WEKY in Richmond, Ky.

“He was the type of father that was always there for me,” said his youngest son, Dean Hooper, 30, of Margate. “He showed me how to lead by example.” Dean Hooper and his brother Rusty Hooper, 35, work at WAVS.

The family moved to South Florida in 1977 after Mr. Hooper landed a job as an agency representative at WLOD and advertising director for American Cable TV, both in Pompano Beach.

He became general manager of WAVS in 1978 and saw the former Christian station through many format changes, among them rhythm and blues and Spanish language. In the mid-’80s he switched the station to a Caribbean format.

“Going to a Caribbean format was not something that people were used to,” said Clarke, who worked at the station for 13 years.

“But he embraced the idea and decided to give it a chance.”

In addition to two sons and wife, Mr. Hooper is survived by another son, Andy, 42, of Margate; two daughters, Bridgett Belle Girwarr, 38, of Coral Springs and Cheri Ellen Van Meter, 40, of Hartsville, Tenn.; and seven grandchildren.

A viewing is scheduled for 4-8 p.m. Friday at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Pompano Beach. Services will be at the same location at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Kai T. Hill can be reached at or 954-385-7925.