Judy Markey, half of WGN Radio's Kathy & Judy, dies at 82

What they're saying: "The last half of my life has been wonderfully brightened by Judy Markey," O'Malley wrote on social media. "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."

Context: Kathy & Judy were groundbreaking for Chicago talk radio, becoming the first female duo to broadcast in what was, and remains, a male-dominated field.

• Their listener-driven show tackled relationships, family, work and everyday life from a perspective rarely heard on talk radio at the time. It paid off, as the show was No. 1 in its time slot for much of its 20-year run.

Zoom out: The duo's chemistry, along with newsman Steve Bertrand, was electric.

• "Judy was ferociously courageous," Bertrand tells Axios. "Kathy and Judy changed the way Chicago heard radio: two strong, successful women who connected with an audience that wasn't being heard."

Zoom in: Markey suffered from a rare neurological disorder and her physical condition had worsened late in life. Bertrand says she chose to pursue an assisted death in Europe, gathering close friends to say goodbye before making the trip.

The bottom line: "For those of us in a certain age group, Goodbyes have become a way of life," O'Malley wrote. "This one is a bitch."