Judy Markey, a pioneering Chicago radio personality known for her candid and humorous discussions on daily life, relationships, and family, died on September 11 in Roderis, Switzerland. She was 82. Markey’s husband, Tom Collinger, said she had been diagnosed two years earlier with a degenerative neurological disease and chose to end her life through assisted dying at a facility operated by Pegasos Swiss Association.
Markey first gained recognition in Chicago during the early 1980s as a nationally syndicated columnist for The Chicago Sun-Times. Her writing, often compared to that of Erma Bombeck, focused on everyday topics such as money management, parenting, and personal grooming with a sharp and relatable wit.
In the late 1980s, Markey joined forces with Kathy O’Malley, a former entertainment columnist for The Chicago Tribune, to host “The Kathy and Judy Show” on WGN radio. The program, which began in 1989, became known for the natural, conversational style the pair adopted after initially attempting scripted content. The duo’s freewheeling improvisation and warm rapport earned them a dedicated following among mostly female listeners, though some male listeners also tuned in.
Their show featured regular segments such as “Sex Thursday,” which invited listeners to share their intimate experiences, and “Speak Your Piece,” a brief outlet for callers to air everyday grievances. A notable annual tradition involved parents discussing the emotional experience of sending their children off to college for the first time.
Markey and O’Malley also addressed sensitive topics. In one instance, they publicly countered a conservative claim linking abortion to mental health issues. Markey herself shared her personal experience of having an abortion without ensuing depression, prompting a flood of supportive calls from women affirming similar experiences.
The pair received Gracie Awards from the American Women in Radio & Television in 2006 and 2008, recognizing their outstanding contributions to radio talk shows.
Born Judy Kay Lindheim in Cleveland on February 18, 1944, she relocated with her family to Beverly Hills, California, at age 13. Her father, Johnny Lindheim, was involved in several businesses, including a record shop and car wash, and her mother was Lois (Reinitz) Lindheim. Judy Markey graduated from Northwestern University in 1965 with a degree in journalism. Early in her career, she worked in advertising at The Washington Post and in book publishing. She spent seven years in Europe with her first husband, Tom Markey, whom she married in 1967; the couple divorced in 1989.
Markey married Tom Collinger in 2002. She is survived by her husband, two children—Erin and Adam Markey—two stepchildren, Kate Collinger Buxton and Zach Collinger, two granddaughters, and her brother, Jim Lindheim.
At a memorial service, Collinger described her as “one part Annie Oakley, another part Gracie Allen, a dash of Erma Bombeck, a little bit of Betty Boop, and maybe a little Lesley Stahl,” celebrating her multifaceted personality and impact on her audience.