Chicago radio personality Judy Markey, best known as one of the hosts on The Kathy and Judy Show has passed away at the age of 82.A report published in The New York Post stated that she had been living with a degenerative neurological disorder that led to a decline in her physical health. She reached the conclusion of choosing medically assisted suicide at a clinic in Switzerland after discussing it with her family. Judy Markey was married twice. Her first marriage was to Tom Markey. He was a fellow Northwestern University alum. He served as an executive with Abbott Labs. Judy studied journalism and worked in administrative positions at an advertising agency. They had two children, Erin and Adam. Their marriage eventually resulted in divorce. Markey remarried in 2002 to Tom Collinger, a professor at Northwestern University. They remained married until her death. She is survived by him, along with her children, stepchildren and grandchildren.Continue reading for more details.How was the life of Chicago radio host Judy Markey? Judy Markey was born to Johnny and Lois Lindheim in February 1944. She had a younger brother named Jim and their family lived in Cleveland. They eventually settled in Los Angeles.She married Tom Markey, a Cleveland native and Northwestern alum. She traveled with him to Europe where the couple lived for seven years, visiting cities like Rome, Paris and Amsterdam. During this period, she welcomed two children, Erin and Adam. However, the couple eventually divorced. No specific reason for their divorce has been reported.After returning to Chicago, Markey started focusing on her writing career while raising her children. In 2002, she married Tom Collinger. According to her obituary, they shared their love for Tucson which became their second home for 21 years. They also loved traveling and spending time with family and friends.Judy Markey built a loyal fanbase in Chicago through the deep personal connection she formed with her listeners on The Kathy and Judy Show and through her column for the Chicago Sun-Times.Before embarking on her journey as a radio host, Markey spent 16 years writing a slice-of-life column for the Chicago Sun-Times. She also wrote pieces for The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, and other magazines. She was also a novelist and wrote two novels, including The Daddy Clock and Just Trust Me. She authored two essay collections.Markey started hosting her famous radio show, The Kathy and Judy Show, in 1989 on WGN Radio 720. She co-hosted the show with Kathy O'Malley. The show ran from 1989 to 2009 and returned for a weekend run on the radio from 2013 to 2017.The show featured unfiltered conversations with everyday callers, including topics such as s*x and abortion. They shared a casual and funny banter with the listeners who affectionately dubbed them “The Girlfriends.”In the final years of her life, Judy Markey split time between Highland Park and Tucson. She continued enjoying traveling, gardening and spending time with her family and two dogs, Willie and Toby. She was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder in 2024 and experienced progressive physical decline.According to her obituary:“Judy was inducted into Northwestern Medill's Hall of Achievement. She was also named one of Chicago's "One Hundred Most Influential Women" by Crain's Chicago Business and one of the "Top One Hundred Talk Show Hosts" in the country by Talkers magazine.”Being a longtime supporter of medical aid in dying, she chose voluntary assisted death in Switzerland on September 11 with her family by her side. A private celebration of Judy Markey’s life was held on September 17.