Susan Stamberg, a trailblazing journalist and one of National Public Radio’s “founding mothers,” passed away on October 15, 2025, at the age of 87, just weeks after retiring from NPR in September.
A fixture on American airwaves for more than five decades, Stamberg joined NPR at its inception in 1971 and made history the following year as the first woman to anchor a national nightly news program, All Things Considered. She later hosted Weekend Edition Sunday and served as a special correspondent known for her distinctive warmth, curiosity, and storytelling about culture and the arts.
Stamberg’s influence on NPR was immense—her colleagues credited her with helping shape the tone, style, and humanity that define the network’s sound. NPR host Scott Simon praised her as “the voice of NPR,” capable of moving from serious reporting to laughter that invited listeners in “like friends on a journey”.
Throughout her career, she earned nearly every major broadcasting award, was inducted into both the Radio and Broadcast Halls of Fame, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Stamberg was also beloved for her annual on-air tradition of sharing her mother-in-law’s famous cranberry relish recipe during the holidays—a moment that embodied the personal charm that made her an icon.
(Updated post) CBS Sunday Morning re-aired an archived segment (May 2, 2021) featuring Stamberg on October 19, 2025.