Columnist Cokie Roberts passes away

Kansas City, MO (September 18, 2019) – Andrews McMeel is saddened to learn that award-winning journalist and columnist Cokie Roberts has died at the age of 75 due to complications from an ongoing battle with breast cancer.

 

Up until her passing, Roberts and her husband of 53 years, Steven V. Roberts, penned a weekly commentary column syndicated for more than 25 years by Andrews McMeel Syndication (and formerly United Features). Steven will resume writing the column, which will continue to be distributed as part of the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) service that is utilized by hundreds of client newspapers worldwide.

 

“Cokie is a true treasure and we are blessed to have worked with her for so long,” said Chief Operations Officer Kelly Carnago. “Her professionalism and perspectives will be remembered, and the trail she blazed for women and journalists will go down in history. Her family, friends, and colleagues are in our thoughts as they mourn this amazing woman’s passing.”

 

Roberts, born Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne Boggs, graduated from Wellesley College in 1964. Though she never held political office like many members of her family, she followed in their footsteps with a degree in political science and early assignments as a political commentator for CBS and National Public Radio. Roberts went on to co-anchor ABC’s “This Week” with Sam Donaldson from 1996 to 2002, among various other positions with the network.

 

In 2008, the Library of Congress named Roberts a “Living Legend.” Other honors throughout her career included three Emmys, more than 20 honorary degrees and an induction into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. A recognized historian focusing on the role of women, she was the author of numerous New York Times best-selling books, including Ladies of Liberty (William Morrow, 2008) Founding Mothers (William Morrow, 2004) and We Are Our Mothers’ Daughters (William Morrow, 1998).

 

"We will miss Cokie beyond measure, both for her contributions and for her love and kindness," the Roberts family said in a statement.

 

 

ABOUT ANDREWS MCMEEL UNIVERSAL

 

Founded in 1970, Andrews McMeel Universal is an independent, multi-faceted, global entertainment company. Distinguished by a creator-first approach and the uncanny ability to tap into the zeitgeist of popular culture, Andrews McMeel specializes in comics, illustrated humor and inspirational content distributed across multiple platforms, with a remarkable roster of talent across syndication, book, calendar, and greeting card publishing, digital consumer experiences, and entertainment licensing, including dozens of New York Times bestselling authors and Pulitzer Prize-, Reuben Award-, and Emmy-Award-winning creators.

Media contact: Shelly Barkes, sbarkes@amuniversal.com