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Former CBS 2 Anchorman Wayne Fariss Dies

LAKE PLACID, Fla. (CBS) -- Former CBS 2 anchorman Wayne Fariss died last week at the age of 82.

Fariss, who is best known for his broadcast news work in Miami, died Friday in Lake Placid, Fla., CBS Miami reported.

Drafted during the Korean War, Joseph Wayne Fariss started his broadcasting career with the Armed Forces Radio, according to The Miami Herald. After a stint at WDEL-TV in Delaware, Fariss moved to Tampa for three years where he did the first newscasts at WTVT-TV, before moving to WCKT-TV, now WSVN-Fox 7 in Miami.

Fariss came to Chicago and joined CBS 2 in 1969 and spent 2 1/2 years with the station during the period between anchorman Fahey Flynn's departure for ABC 7 in 1967, and the pairing of CBS 2's Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson in 1973 for what came to be known as "The 10 O'clock News."

At CBS 2, Fariss was part of a team that also included sportscaster Brent Musburger, the late meteorologist John Coughlin, the legendary reporters Bob Wallace and John "Bulldog" Drummond, CBS 2's Harry Porterfield, and Jacobson as political editor.

Fariss returned to Miami in 1971, and was succeeded by the late Bob McBride until Kurtis and Jacobson took over two years later.

He spent the next 12 years back at WCKT, until a heart attack took him out of television in 1984, the Miami Herald reported. He rebounded and became successful in the real estate business afterward, the newspaper reported.

Fariss is survived by Betty, his wife of 59 years, and four children, Bob, David, Anne Reed and John.

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