Longtime PBS News Anchor Dies at 61

Longtime PBS News Anchor Gwen Ifill has passed away at the age of 61.

Ifill served as a co-host for PBS’s NewsHour as well as a moderator for “Washington Week.” Ifill was born in New York and began her career in 1977 at the Boston Herald-American before moving to The Washington Post, The New York Times, NBC, and finally PBS in 1999.

Ifill was a decorated journalist who received more than 20 honorary doctorates as well as receiving honors from the Peabody Awards, Radio and Television News Directors Association, Harvard’s Joan Shorenstein Center, and the National Association of Black Journalists.

PBS released a statement a statement this afternoon confirming Ifill’s death.

“It is with extremely heavy hearts that we must share that our dear friend and beloved colleague Gwen Ifill passed away this afternoon following several months of cancer treatment. She was surrounded by loving family and many friends whom we ask that you keep in your thoughts and prayers.”

CNN Money remembered her this afternoon.

WETA President and CEO Sharon Percy Rockefeller informed staff in an email about Ifill’s death,

“I am very sad to tell you that our dear friend and beloved colleague Gwen Ifill passed away today in hospice care in Washington. I spent an hour with her this morning and she was resting comfortably, surrounded by loving family and friends… Earlier today, I conveyed to Gwen the devoted love and affection of all of us at WETA/NewsHour. Let us hold Gwen and her family even closer now in our hearts and prayers.”