Barb Higgins says learning of Darrel Janz’s death left her numb.

Higgins spent 21 years co-anchoring the 6 p.m. CTV News show with Janz, becoming the city’s number one newscaster, and along the way she developed a warm friendship with her co-anchor.

She first met Janz in 1989, the day she came for a job interview.

“I met him in the dressing room getting ready to go on set to audition with Darrel, and our eyes met in the mirror as he walked behind, and I turned around and our eyes locked. “We met, and we clicked, and we both talked about it afterwards,” she said. “We both knew at that point that there was chemistry, and we were able to enjoy that chemistry together for 21 years.”

Both men spent more than two decades as anchors, and while it’s hard to pick a favorite story or show, she says their election coverage stands out. They played to each other’s strengths and when they needed to fill time, Darrel was a great ad-libber.

“He would pull a story out of the file in the back of his head about an election several years ago, and he would remember the people and the date and what happened and the fallout, and you know, you just think, ‘Wow, what a career.'”

Many people may not know that Janz was also a spectacular singer, singing in a choir and quartet for years.

“Darrel had a beautiful baritone voice, and he sang in a quartet for many years, and going to hear him sing was always a treat. He loved singing Elvira.”

Janz died early Saturday morning at the age of 83, sending an outpouring of grief and fond memories across the country as CTV Calgary journalists, former colleagues and news watchers remembered the enormous role that Janz played in their daily lives.

“I don’t think there’s a person in Calgary who’s worked in this industry who hasn’t been touched by him in one way or another,” Higgins says.

“He was, he gave so much to his students and the community. He was so proud of his students. He spoke with such affection throughout his years of teaching, and he always stayed in touch with his students subsequently, and took a real interest in what they were doing.