KathyJudy Markey, one half of Chicago’s legendary “Kathy and Judy Show” on WGN-AM, died on September 11, 2026, at the age of 82. Her co-host and close friend Kathy O’Malley confirmed that Markey, who had been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder in 2024, chose to end her life through a voluntary medical-aid-in-dying procedure at a facility in Switzerland. Her family was at her side.
Markey was married to Tom Collinger, a professor emeritus at Northwestern University. The couple remained together through the final stage of her illness, with Collinger by her side during her last moments. In a detail that captured the personality Chicago listeners loved for three decades, Collinger told the Chicago Sun-Times that Markey’s final request, after a few bites of a Snickers bar, was to ask about her headache. He offered her an Advil.
Before becoming one of Chicago’s most beloved radio voices, Markey spent 16 years as a syndicated columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote for The New York Times and Cosmopolitan, and published two novels. On the radio, she and O’Malley created the first female-hosted talk show in Chicago history, a program that dominated the midday ratings for two decades and earned both hosts recognition among Chicago’s most influential women.
This article covers Judy Markey’s marriage, her career across newspapers, novels, and radio, the history of the Kathy and Judy Show, and the circumstances of her death.
Judy Markey’s Husband, Tom Collinger, and Their Life Together
Judy Markey was married to Tom Collinger, a respected academic who spent his career at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Collinger served as a professor and eventually earned the title of professor emeritus, an honor given to distinguished faculty members upon retirement.
Judy Markey’s Marriage
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Husband | Tom Collinger |
| Collinger’s profession | Professor emeritus, Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism |
| Markey’s education | Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism |
| Connection | Both associated with Medill; Markey was a graduate and Hall of Achievement honoree, Collinger a longtime faculty member |
| Present at her death | Yes; Collinger was at Markey’s side in Switzerland |
The connection between Markey and Collinger extended beyond romance. Both were deeply rooted in the Medill community, one as a celebrated alumna who had gone on to define Chicago media, and the other as a faculty member who shaped the next generation of journalists. The marriage represented a union of two people whose professional lives orbited the same institution and the same commitment to journalism.
Collinger’s presence during Markey’s final moments, and his willingness to share the small human details of those moments with the Chicago Sun-Times, painted a picture of a partnership built on tenderness as much as shared intellectual life.
The Kathy and Judy Show: How Two Women Changed Chicago Radio
The “Kathy and Judy Show” was not just a popular program. It was a first. When Markey and Kathy O’Malley launched their partnership on WGN-AM (720) in 1989, no women had ever co-hosted a talk show on Chicago radio. The industry, then and now, was overwhelmingly male-dominated. What they built over the next 20 years changed what Chicago’s airwaves sounded like.
The show debuted in January 1989, airing opposite the Super Bowl. It was unscripted, call-in driven, and built around the genuine friendship between two women who came from different corners of Chicago media: Markey from the Sun-Times, O’Malley from the Chicago Tribune.
Kathy and Judy Show: Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Station | WGN-AM (720), Chicago |
| Co-hosts | Judy Markey and Kathy O’Malley (Kathy Voltmer) |
| Producer | Steve Bertrand |
| Premiere | January 1989 (debuted opposite the Super Bowl) |
| Weekday run | 1989 to 2009 (20 years, midday slot) |
| Weekend run | Continued on weekends through 2017 |
| Format | Unscripted, call-in talk show |
| Audience nickname | “The Girlfriends” |
| Historic significance | First female-hosted talk show in Chicago radio history |
| Ratings | Routinely ranked as Chicago’s most-listened-to midday show |
| Awards | Two Gracie Awards |
| Notable segments | “Sex Thursday” (listeners shared personal experiences) |
The show’s audience, known as “The Girlfriends,” was primarily female, though a substantial number of male listeners also considered themselves part of the community. The format was built on something deceptively simple: two friends talking about their lives, their opinions, and whatever was on their minds, and inviting listeners to join the conversation.
Steve Bertrand, who produced the show, described Markey’s impact to Axios Chicago: “Judy was ferociously courageous. Kathy and Judy changed the way Chicago heard radio: two strong, successful women who connected with an audience that wasn’t being heard.”
The Moment That Showed Who Judy Markey Really Was
Of all the segments across 20 years of live radio, one moment stands out as the most revealing example of who Judy Markey was on the air.
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Around the turn of the century, a conservative group publicly declared that all women who had abortions suffered mental health issues afterward. Markey and O’Malley questioned that claim. They asked women to call in and share their own experiences.
O’Malley later recalled the moment on WGN: “The first person to say ‘I have had an abortion’ was Judy Markey, which I thought was remarkably brave and powerful, and she opened the floodgates. The lines lit up with women who said ‘I have had an abortion and I’m OK’ and ‘I have had an abortion and I haven’t sunk into depression.’ We couldn’t take all the calls. It was really remarkable.”
Markey did not simply host a show about difficult topics. She led with her own experience, making herself vulnerable before asking her audience to do the same. That willingness to go first, to be real when real was uncomfortable, was the quality that defined her broadcasting career.
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From Sun-Times Columnist to Novelist: Judy Markey’s Writing Career
Before radio made her a Chicago household name, Markey built a 16-year career as a newspaper columnist.
Judy Markey’s Writing Career
| Period | Work |
|---|---|
| 16 years | Syndicated columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times; wrote a “slice-of-life” column |
| Various | Published in The New York Times and Cosmopolitan |
| 1998 | Published first novel, The Daddy Clock (Bantam Books) |
| Later | Published a second novel |
| Education | Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism graduate |
Markey’s column at the Sun-Times was a slice-of-life feature, the kind of writing that sounds easy until you try to do it well for 16 years. She wrote about everyday moments with a combination of wit, observation, and emotional honesty that connected with readers on a personal level.
Her transition to radio came through regular guest appearances on The Bob Collins Show on WGN, where her conversational style translated naturally to the audio medium. WGN management recognized that what made her column work on the page, the intimacy, the humor, the willingness to be herself, would work even better when spoken aloud.
Judy Markey’s Awards, Recognition, and Place in Chicago Media History
Markey’s career generated a list of honors that reflect her impact across multiple media platforms.
Awards and Recognition
| Honor | Details |
|---|---|
| Gracie Awards | Two (recognizing outstanding programming by, for, and about women) |
| Northwestern Medill Hall of Achievement | Inducted |
| Chicago’s “One Hundred Most Influential Women” | Named |
| “Top One Hundred Talk Show Hosts” | Named nationally |
| Chicago radio first | Co-created the first female-hosted talk show in the city’s history |
The Gracie Awards, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media, are considered among the most prestigious honors for women in broadcasting. Winning two during the run of the Kathy and Judy Show confirmed what Chicago listeners already knew: the program was operating at a level that warranted national recognition.
Markey’s induction into the Medill Hall of Achievement placed her among the most accomplished graduates of one of the country’s leading journalism schools, a distinction that recognizes career impact rather than a single accomplishment.
How Judy Markey Died: Her Choice to Pursue Assisted Death
Markey’s death was the result of a deliberate and carefully considered choice. In 2024, she was diagnosed with a rare degenerative neurological disorder. The specific condition has not been publicly named. As the disorder progressed, her physical condition worsened significantly.
According to Steve Bertrand, who produced the Kathy and Judy Show, Markey chose to pursue an assisted death in Europe. She gathered close friends to say goodbye before making the trip.
O’Malley confirmed the details: “With her family at her side, she peacefully ended her life at a MAID facility in Switzerland. It was a decision she made without hesitation not long after her body began failing from a neurological disorder diagnosed in 2024, and her resolve never wavered after she made the decision and chose a date.”
O’Malley also noted that she and Markey had discussed their support for medical aid in dying on the air “several times” during their years together on WGN.
Markey’s obituary, published by her family, stated that she “passed away on Sept. 11 from a voluntary assisted death in Switzerland.”
Judy Markey: Life Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| February 18, 1944 | Born in Cleveland, Ohio |
| Childhood | Grew up in Cleveland; moved to Los Angeles as a teenager |
| University years | Studied journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School |
| 1970s to 1980s | Wrote a syndicated “slice-of-life” column at the Chicago Sun-Times for 16 years |
| Various | Published in The New York Times and Cosmopolitan |
| Late 1980s | Became a regular guest on The Bob Collins Show at WGN |
| January 1989 | Debuted the Kathy and Judy Show on WGN-AM, opposite the Super Bowl |
| 1989 to 2009 | Co-hosted the Kathy and Judy Show as Chicago’s top-rated midday program |
| 1998 | Published first novel, The Daddy Clock (Bantam Books) |
| 2009 | Weekday Kathy and Judy Show ends after 20 years |
| 2009 to 2017 | Continued co-hosting a weekend version of the show |
| 2024 | Diagnosed with a rare degenerative neurological disorder |
| September 11, 2026 | Died at age 82 through voluntary assisted death in Switzerland |
Kathy O’Malley’s Tribute to Her Partner of 28 Years
O’Malley’s tribute to Markey, shared on social media, captured the depth of a friendship and professional partnership that spanned nearly three decades.
“The last half of my life has been wonderfully brightened by Judy Markey,” O’Malley wrote. “Her brilliance, humor, attitude, wit, and wisdom will always be a sweet part of my memories, as they will for thousands of others who never actually met her.”
She added: “For those of us in a certain age group, Goodbyes have become a way of life.”
The relationship between Markey and O’Malley was the engine that powered the show. They came from competing newspapers (Markey from the Sun-Times, O’Malley from the Tribune), which gave their dynamic an edge that might not have existed between colleagues from the same outlet. They disagreed and they laughed. Judy and Kathy surprised each other. The chemistry was not manufactured for radio; it was the natural output of two smart, opinionated women who genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Was Judy Markey married?
Yes. Judy Markey was married to Tom Collinger, a professor emeritus at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Collinger was at her side during her final moments in Switzerland.
How did Judy Markey die?
Markey died on September 11, 2026, at age 82, through a voluntary medical-aid-in-dying procedure at a facility in Switzerland. She had been diagnosed with a rare degenerative neurological disorder in 2024.
What was the Kathy and Judy Show?
The Kathy and Judy Show was an unscripted, call-in talk show on WGN-AM (720) in Chicago, co-hosted by Judy Markey and Kathy O’Malley. It ran from 1989 to 2009 as a weekday midday program and continued as a weekend show through 2017. It was the first female-hosted talk show in Chicago radio history.
Who is Kathy O’Malley?
Kathy O’Malley (Kathy Voltmer) is a former Chicago Tribune columnist who co-hosted the Kathy and Judy Show with Markey for 28 years. She described Markey as having “brilliance, humor, attitude, wit, and wisdom.”
What did Judy Markey do before radio?
Markey was a syndicated columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times for 16 years. She also wrote for The New York Times and Cosmopolitan, and published two novels, including The Daddy Clock (Bantam Books, 1998).
What awards did Judy Markey win?
Markey and the Kathy and Judy Show won two Gracie Awards. She was inducted into the Northwestern Medill Hall of Achievement, named one of Chicago’s “One Hundred Most Influential Women,” and listed among the “Top One Hundred Talk Show Hosts” nationally.
Who is Tom Collinger?
Tom Collinger is Judy Markey’s husband and a professor emeritus at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He was present during her final moments and shared details of her last day with the Chicago Sun-Times.
Where was Judy Markey from?
Markey was born on February 18, 1944, in Cleveland, Ohio. She moved to Los Angeles as a teenager before attending Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and building her career in Chicago.
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Last Updated on September 18, 2026 by 247 News Around The World
