Jerome “YoJ” Ronquillo, a longtime Houston radio personality whose career at 104.1 KRBE began more than three decades ago, died Thursday. He was 57.
KRBE announced his death Friday, remembering him as “one of the most spectacular, charismatic, and hilarious people that walked our radio station hallways.”
Ronquillo started his radio career at KRBE in 1994. Over the years, his voice reached Houston listeners through on-air shifts, live broadcasts from clubs and commercials. Behind the scenes, coworkers remembered his jokes during meetings, his passion for University of Houston sports and his talent for smoking ribs.
“YoJ was the life of the party,” KRBE wrote. “His one-line zingers during meetings would make us inappropriately crack up every single time!”
Listeners also shared their memories beneath the station’s announcement. One recalled listening to Ronquillo as a teenager and meeting him at Memorial City Mall during a school field trip. Another remembered tuning in during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Ronquillo was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on Jan. 1, 2026. KRBE did not disclose a cause of death. In March, his friend Paul “Cubby” Bryant launched a GoFundMe to help Ronquillo and his wife, Maggie, cover chemotherapy, medications, travel and other medical expenses.
Chron has reached out to KRBE for additional comment.
In a Sept. 22 Facebook post, Ronquillo reflected on his cancer diagnosis and how it changed his outlook on life.
“I had no choice to make the most of my remaining time,” he wrote. “However long God sees fit.”
One dream he managed to fulfill was performing stand-up comedy at the Houston Improv. Although he had performed stand-up in the 1990s, Ronquillo said he had never taken the stage at such a large venue.
“One of my bucket list items was to be on stage at the Houston Improv,” he wrote.
Ronquillo said the show sold out. He also shared that the Houston mayor’s office had issued a proclamation officially declaring Sept. 17 “YoJ Day.”
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This article originally published at Longtime Houston radio personality dies as KRBE mourns loss.