CHICAGO — To succeed in one realm is admirable, but to succeed in two is something of a miracle, and Judy Markey, best known perhaps as half of a dynamic and groundbreaking radio team known as the “Kathy and Judy Show,” sharing the microphone with former Tribune writer Kathy O’Malley, was also a writer of considerable substance and style.

Markey died on Friday at age 82. After several years of failing health, she died by medically assisted suicide in Switzerland.

Her longtime radio home, WGN-720 AM, broke the news on Friday morning. Steve Bertrand, the now-retired newsman who was a fixture on “Kathy and Judy,” informed listeners on Bob Sirott’s morning show. “For some time (Judy) had been dealing with some neurological disorders and decided a couple of years ago (to die) on her own terms, with the assistance of professionals, to end her glorious life.”

O’Malley added her words on the WGN website, writing, “Over the years, Judy and I talked on the air several times about our support for medical aid in dying, a highly personal choice but one we felt should be available for those who chose it — and she did. With her family at her side, she peacefully ended her life at a MAID (medical aid in dying) facility in Switzerland.”

In addition, O’Malley spoke later with host John Williams, as did former producer Beth Swierk.

Markey was born on Feb. 18, 1944, to father Johnny and mother Lois, and lived in Cleveland until moving to Los Angeles when she was 13. She attended Northwestern University, where she studied journalism; after college, she lived in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Evanston. She married Tom Markey, also a Cleveland native and N.U. alum. She lived abroad for seven years in Rome, Paris and Amsterdam; gave birth to daughter Erin and son Adam; wrote for the Sun-Times; had a popular radio show; and was inducted into Northwestern’s Medill Hall of Achievement and received other honors. She remarried in 2002 to Tom Collinger, professor emeritus of N.U., and spent time at a second home in Tucson, Arizona, and loved her dogs, traveling and spending time with friends and family.

I was a colleague of Markey’s when she wrote a thrice-weekly, astute and nimble-witted column for 15 years at the Sun-Times, also writing two terrific novels, “The Daddy Clock,” and “Just Trust Me.” Later, I was O’Malley’s editor when she wrote clever pieces for the Tempo section of the Tribune.

“Judy had the most consistent capacity for having fun of anyone I’ve known well. I met her through Bill Veeck, my friend and mentor,” said her friend, pioneering videographer and writer Tom Weinberg. “Judy’s parents were two of the closest friends of the Veecks, originally from the ’40s in Cleveland. All of them enjoyed life to the fullest. It was always joyful to be with Judy, her family and the Veecks.

“Judy and I created several television shows together; the most memorable were segments we called ‘What the El,’ which was broadcast on WPWR. We rode on a CTA train, and Judy would make guesses about another passenger’s life. Then she talked to them to see how right or wrong she was … all good-natured fun. Nobody didn’t like Judy.”

On a hunch, on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon in 1989, WGN’s program director Lorna Gladstone decided to team Markey and O’Malley. No one could have anticipated they would be, as media critic Rob Feder aptly put it “lightning in a bottle.”

“For the next two decades ‘The Girlfriends,’ as they came to be known, attracted a fiercely loyal following (of women and men) and dominated the midday ratings,” he said. “Their authentic chemistry transcended radio. No topic was off limits or too personal. Annual fan conventions and station-sponsored trips drew thousands.”

Knowing both women, I was not at all surprised by the success of their partnership. They were both smart and sensitive, tough and tender, curious and creative. But women hosting shows then was rare. Still is.

Despite that and winning various industry awards, the show was abruptly canceled during its May 22, 2009, broadcast. Tears were shed in the studio and angry crowds protested outside the Tribune Tower, where the radio station was housed.

In 2013, the team was lured back and operated a Saturday noon to 2 p.m. show until 2017. If memory serves, they spent the final hour of the final show taking calls from listeners eager to share memories.

In addition to her husband, Markey is survived by brother Jim Lindheim and brother-in-law Jim Tharp, daughter Erin Markey, son Adam Markey, stepson Zach Collinger stepdaughter Kate Collinger Buxton and son-in-law Pat Buxton, and granddaughters Remi and Maisy Buxton.

A private celebration is being held Thursday, but there will be a livestream of the event at 11 a.m., with a short video preceding it at 10:45 a.m.; more at everloved.com.

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