David Blair Couch with Wood County Commission spoke at Todd Baucher’s memorial on Saturday. The memorial was held at Parkersburg High School at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Clara Noelle)

PARKERSBURG — Todd Baucher, a longtime reporter for local news channel WTAP, died December 29 at the age of 67. On Saturday, Parkersburg High School hosted a community memorial in Baucher’s honor for his friends and family.

Former coworker John Fortney said that Baucher worked at WTAP for 41 years and had an expert level of understanding of what mattered.

Denise Alex-Bouzounis and Amanda Barren, two of Baucher’s former coworkers, as well as many others noted that Baucher was a teacher to the many fresh college graduates who worked at WTAP.

Barren noted that Baucher was a reporter by name and a teacher by default. Barren also said that Baucher, through his position as a reporter, was a teacher to the masses.

Barren said during her notes at the memorial that Baucher was often referred to as the “walking encyclopedia of the Mid-Ohio Valley,” as some of his old employers or coworkers would often call him and ask him about old cases and stories.

Amanda Barren with WOWK 13 News, who previously worked with Todd Baucher, spoke at his memorial on Saturday. Barren brought messages from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and West Virginia Governor Jim Justice. (Photo by Clara Noelle)

Ken Long, Vice President and General Manager of WTAP, spoke during the memorial on Saturday as well.

Long said, “I don’t know if I really wanna say if I was Todd’s boss. I think I learned more from him than he learned from me.”

All those who spoke during Baucher’s memorial, especially his coworkers, recalled his remarkable sense of humor.

Alex-Bouzounis said he “always made us laugh and laughed with us.”

Baucher’s coworkers also described him as genuine.

Belpre Mayor Susan Abdella, Bob Fehrenbacher of the West Virginia House of Delegates and David Blair Couch of the Wood County Commission all spoke at Saturday’s memorial.

Both Couch and Fahrenbacher noted that they regarded Baucher with high regard and recalled many occasions in which their paths crossed because of their careers.

Couch said that “he’s probably waiting at the pearly gates waiting to interview me.”

When Barren spoke during the memorial, she also read notes from West Virginia Governor Jim Justice and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who both had interacted with Baucher during their careers as politicians.