Longtime NBC Washington anchor Wendy Rieger dies after fight with cancer

SWEET · ‎03-09-2010

It just popped up on my FB newsfeed from NBC4 that Wendy passed away this a.m. I'm so sad and devasted and I'm too emotional to write anymore.

Krimpette · ‎03-09-2010

I just got a notification on my phone that she has died. RIP, Wendy.

golding76 · ‎05-19-2012

May God rest her soul.

Memory eternal!

golding76 · ‎05-19-2012

Longtime NBC Washington anchor Wendy Rieger dies after fight with cancer

[I deleted one paragraph in the interest of not having this post deleted.]

By Abigail Constantino

April 16, 2022, 12:53 PM

NBC Washington anchor Wendy Rieger. (Courtesy NBC Washington)

Wendy Rieger, known for her quick wit and the connection she forged with viewers for some 25 years as the anchor of NBC Washington’s afternoon news, died Saturday. She was 65.

Described as the “fun, engaging friend to check in with every evening,” she once compared her dating life to the weak start of a hurricane (“Starts looking like nothing much,” she quipped). She was also a staunch supporter of the LGBTQ community.

Former colleague Jim Handly reported Friday, April 15, that she had entered hospice care and was surrounded by her closest loved ones.

Rieger, who was diagnosed with glioblastoma last summer, retired las December. Following news of her retirement, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared Dec. 17, 2021, Wendy Rieger Day in the District.

In July 2021, Rieger announced that she underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor, and was getting treatment at Johns Hopkins. Several months later, she had open-heart surgery to fix two heart conditions.

Rieger, who also worked at WTOP, started at NBC Washington in 1988 as a reporter. Among the stories she covered was a custody case that took her on a three-week trip to New Zealand, and the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. She was also well-known for covering hurricanes — “Note to self: waterproof mascara,” she said during one segment.

She started anchoring weekend evening newscasts in 1996, and then the afternoon news in 2001. Before her television career, which began at CNN’s Washington Bureau, Rieger worked at WAMU as a writer and host. She also worked as an anchor at WTOP.

The DC region remembers its local news anchor

Upon news of Rieger entering hospice care, those who knew her shared their memories and sadness.

Colleague Aimee Cho wrote that she was saddened and described her as one of the “kindest, strongest, funniest” and most caring people she knew.

NBC Washington evening anchor Doreen Gentzler shared a photo of her longtime friend and co-worker at Rieger’s Rappahanock County, Virginia, home in Oct. 2020 before she underwent open-heart surgery.

The announcement of Rieger’s death Saturday afternoon prompted an outpouring of admiration for the retired anchor.

“Wendy delivered the news honestly — with humor, heart, & expertise and she will be missed dearly. Our hearts are with Dan, her NBC Washington family, and the many, many people who loved Wendy,” Mayor Bowser wrote on Twitter.

Radio personality Tommy McFly, who is also a correspondent with NBC4, wrote that “There will never ever ever ever ever be another Wendy RIEGER. Rest well my sweet friend.”

A native of Norfolk, Rieger graduated from American University with a degree in journalism. She married Dan Buckley, who was an NBC Washington news photographer, last year. She was previously married to Sol Levine, who was a CNN producer.

lopsie2 · ‎11-11-2020

@golding76 wrote:

ETA: Even though the online post had Sue Palka as the woman to Wendy Rieger's right, I think this caption is in error. Doreen Gentzler said she visited Wendy at her farm in October 2020, and there are leaves on the trees in the photo above . Leaves are emerging only now in our area of the U.S. That looks like the back of Doreen's head anyway. I think Sue Palka made the statement seen in the caption, but I think that is Doreen Gentzler sitting with Wendy Rieger in the photo above. (Plus, the piece said Doreen shared the photo. My error in addition to the caption's error.)

Yes, that's Doreen, as seen in this photo, https://wtop.com/local/2020/10/a-long-time-washington-d-c-journalist-is-recovering-from-open-heart-s...

golding76 · ‎05-19-2012

As expected, our local NBC news affiliate, Channel 4, opened its 6:00 p.m. news with a heartfelt tribute to Wendy Rieger. I could not hold back my tears; nor could the anchor at one point as he read tributes to his dear colleague. He choked on the words as he tried to compose himself.

At about the same time and on cue, some raindrops started falling from a cloudy sky that had been clear and sunny all day. In fact, it was a day that prompted emerging blossoms on trees to open up to almost full bloom. It was a beautiful day until now.

Many people were touched by Wendy. Her husband, Dan, was holding her hand when she passed, according to the report.

She was a good soul.

May she rest in peace.

stevieb · ‎03-10-2010

Things have been very sad for so many in recent times. This is just one more loss of something good. If it seems very unfair, that's because it is. Sorry to see you go, Wendy. Keep an eye on things for us, will you...

In my pantry with my cupcakes...

stevieb · ‎03-10-2010

@golding76 wrote:
stevieb, when Wendy retired, the staff thought about who should write her send-off script and concluded that since she was the most talented writer in their stable, she should be the one. It was odd, but she managed to pen something that was heartfelt without being maudlin in the least. She's a professional through and through.

Regarding Doreen, I've grown accustomed to her. What I'll never forget is how inaccurate I was in calling who would be chosen to fill that seat -- Doreen or Dave Marash.

Figuratively, I bet the farm on Marash. There was no contest. I remember insisting that no one would be able to stomach Doreen, especially when there was such an accomplished journalist as Dave available. I predicted Doreen would not last long.

How many decades ago did Doreen take that seat? Boy, that was one of my biggest misfires ever!

@golding76 I don't recall who had left that created a space but I do seem to recall that Vance was the lead anchor at that time and we knew there was no way they were going to demote him despite his difficulties and several periods of being off-air. I suspect that when Doreen came on board the feeling was they needed a woman co-anchor and I sort of suspected she'd be around. Dave Marash was a bit of a journeyman, it seems. He had stints with several different networks. I believe he'd indicated he'd be leaving just before Doreen arrived and perhaps it was his slot she was filling. Gosh, there have been so many anchors over the years, it's hard to keep track. Doreen grew on me but in recent years, though I rarely watch anymore, on the few occasions I have, some of her more strident and opinionated comments have served to turn me off. I like Jim Handley and his broadcasts with Wendy were, for me, among the best teams local news has put together in recent memory.

In my pantry with my cupcakes...

SWEET · ‎03-09-2010

@golding76 wrote:
As expected, our local NBC news affiliate, Channel 4, opened its 6:00 p.m. news with a heartfelt tribute to Wendy Rieger. I could not hold back my tears; nor could the anchor at one point as he read tributes to his dear colleague. He choked on the words as he tried to compose himself.

At about the same time and on cue, some raindrops started falling from a cloudy sky that had been clear and sunny all day. In fact, it was a day that prompted emerging blossoms on trees to open up to almost full bloom. It was a beautiful day until now.

Many people were touched by Wendy. Her husband, Dan, was holding her hand when she passed, according to the report.

She was a good soul.

May she rest in peace.

@golding76

I saw the broadcast too and Cory Smith almost lost it. There is a tribute to her airing 4/17/22 from 9-10:30 a.m. I'm not sure if I can watch it without getting emotional once again. Not sure if it's the same videos/clips that they've been showing on FB and when she retired. Hard to believe that she got married and retired in December. It wasn't that long ago.

She would have turned 66 tomorrow 4/18.

golding76 · ‎05-19-2012

'Today' Anchors Pay Tribute to NBC Anchor Wendy Rieger Following Her Death

Jolie Lash - 3h ago

MSN.com

"Today" anchors Savnnah Guthrie and Craig Melvin remembered their former NBC colleague, journalist Wendy Rieger, who died over the weekend at 65.

"We loved Wendy," Guthrie said on Monday's show.

"We both worked with her at WRC. She worked on the weekends," Guthrie continued, referring to herself and Melvin, as "Today" played a slideshow of photos of Rieger. "I love looking at those pictures because they're so Wendy. There's so much joy. She had just a little kind of a tone of mischief. She had quirks and was irreverent and funny and she was a great colleague that we all looked up to."

Melvin called his former colleague, "a special one."

"They broke the mold when they made Wendy Rieger. She will be missed," he said.

Rieger had been diagnosed with a brain tumor last summer, and died on Saturday following her battle with Glioblastoma, with her husband holding her hand, Melvin said. She died two days shy of her 66th birthday.

Rieger worked at Washington, D.C.'s NBC News4, WRC-TV.

She wrote a note to her newsroom as she signed off after 33 years on the air.

"As you know, I have lived my life big and loud. It is my nature. And I've had a blast. But a stillness has come over me that is profound and potent. I didn't know I could be this quiet. Life is not always a test. It is a teaching. I must learn this lesson with grace. And I will," she shared.

TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN WENDY RIEGER'S 66TH BIRTHDAY. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE.