Mr. Jonas J. Chaney

Jonas J. Chaney passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2024, at home in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. He was a gifted actor, the consummate broadcast journalist, and a person committed to the ideal of journalism that represents the entire community. Throughout his fifty-year professional career, Jonas opened doors wide enough for any and all who wanted to enter. To that end, he was a tireless mentor, advocate, and champion for young journalists, community organizations, and marginalized and overlooked voices.

Jonas was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1951. Parents Willie Matt Chaney and Jon Chaney raised Jonas and his sister Loretta in Evanston, Illinois. He attended Evanston public schools, including Evanston Township High School where he excelled in track and field and cultivated a lifelong passion for sports of all kinds. While still in high school, Jonas began working at a local radio station. At National College of Education, he uncovered a talent for acting.

Upon graduation, he earned a master's degree in journalism from Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Upon these three pillars - media, sports, and theater - Jonas' career was formed.

Jonas began his professional journalism career at KAMU-TV, (College Station, TX) as assistant news director. He then moved to KET (Lexington, KY) as a reporter and program host. His well received series, Sharing the Dream, featured interviews with history makers Ben Hooks, Vernon Jordan, Jesse Jackson, Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Andrew Young, Julian Bond, and many other notable figures. He then worked at WISH-TV (Indianapolis, IN) as an Anchor/reporter and later as the community affairs director. In May of 1985, Jonas made his final move to Pittsburgh, where he landed his dream job of weekend sports anchor for WPXI-TV (Pittsburgh, PA). During this time, he considered himself privileged to cover the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Jonas also served as host and producer for All Things Considered on WDUQ (Pittsburgh, PA) as well as American Urban Radio, where he was once described as having "the voice of God as a young man." Returning to WPXI in June of 2005 as the station's public affairs director, he worked there until his retirement in 2019.

In addition to being a working journalist, he also taught writing, editing, and production at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh Technical Institute, and Texas A&M University. He was a beloved member of the Inroads - Pittsburgh team where he recruited, developed and facilitated training programs, and served as the community service director for student interns.

Jonas was a gifted and award-winning actor with membership in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and Actors Equity Association, (AE) and American Federation of Radio and Television Artists, (AFTRA). Jonas appeared in film and TV including, Silence of the Lambs (1984), Iron Maze (1988), NBC's Dark Wake, What She Doesn't Know, Stuck With Each Other, Blind Spot, Alone in the Neon Jungle, CBS' For I Have Sinned, ABC's Bride in Black, and Criminal Justice on HBO. His theatrical onstage performances included King Headley Il, Fences, Home, The Amen Corner, Of Mice and Men, Miss Evers' Boys, Black Nativity, Love Song for Miss Lydia, Big River, Sherlock Holmes and the Hands of Othello, Her First American, The Conjure Man Dies, and Jacques Brel is Alive and Well.

Jonas commitment to his craft resulted in numerous awards including the UPMC Dignity & Respect Champion, the Pittsburgh Courier Man of Excellence Award, the Onyx Award for Best Male Actor in August Wilson's Fences, 5 Golden Quill Awards for Enterprise/lnvestigative journalism, International Television and Film Festival of New York Bronze medal for "Flying Fortress: A Question of Defense." The capstone of his career was the 2023 Pittsburgh Black Media Association's Legacy Award for lifetime achievement.

Although Jonas was slowed down by Parkinson's Disease and sidelined by a stroke in February of 2024, he never lost faith in God nor humanity. Neither did he complain about his circumstances and his hope was to create a solo performance using original musical compositions, video, and script to portray his life and challenges as a Black man in media. Jonas' legacy extends beyond his groundbreaking presence in broadcast; he leaves behind a profound impact on all who had the privilege of knowing him.

He is survived by his wife Mary Adams Trujillo, children Christopher David and Kara Anne, daughters by marriage Amber McClure, Lara Trujillo Webb, Gabriela Trujillo Williams, Anika Trujillo, and Siembra Trujillo, sister Loretta Hilliard, nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.

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