Wendy Bell Rieger (April 18, 1956 – April 16, 2022) was an American journalist and actress.[1] She was known for her work as an anchor person for WRC-TV.[2]
Rieger is also known for founding Going Green, an online publication.[1][3]
Rieger received numerous awards during her career, including one Emmy Award for a report on the Vietnam War and an award from Washingtonian magazine.[1][3]
Early life and career
Born on April 18, 1956, in Norfolk, Virginia, she attended American University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism.[1][3]
Before joining media, she worked briefly as an actress in Norfolk in the 1970s.[1][3] Her first job in journalistic career was as a newsreader for a radio station based in Tidewater.[1][3]
In the 1980s, she worked with various media organizations, including WAMU, WLTT-FM and WTOP.[1][3]
In 1988, she joined WRC-TV as a nighttime reporter.[1][3]
In 2008, she received the Washingtonian Green Award for her work on environmental safety and preservation.[4][3]
Health and Death
In October 2020, Rieger underwent open-heart surgery to repair a faulty mitral valve.
The following April, she began feeling unwell, and was forced to miss the funeral of former colleague Joe Krebs. A month later, she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, which she died from on April 16, 2022, two days before her 66th birthday.[1]
Personal life
Rieger's first marriage was with Sol Levine which ended in divorce.[1] She married again in 2021 with a former NBC4 photographer, Dan Buckley.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Andrews, Travis M. (April 16, 2022). "Wendy Rieger, longtime Channel 4 anchor in Washington, dies at 65". The Washington Post.
- ↑ "Wendy Rieger, veteran TV anchor and Norfolk native, dies at 65". The Virginian-Pilot. Associated Press. April 18, 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Wendy Rieger, award-winning anchor who worked at Washington's WRC-TV for 33 years, is dead at 65". The Baltimore Sun. Associated Press. April 17, 2022.
- ↑ "Washingtonian Green Awards". Washingtonian. April 30, 2008.