Cokie

The

extraordinary life and legacy of legendary journalist Cokie Roberts—a trailblazer

for women—remembered by her friends and family.

Through

her visibility and celebrity, Cokie Roberts was an inspiration and a role model

for innumerable women and girls. A fixture on national television and radio for

more than 40 years, she also wrote five bestselling books focusing on the role

of women in American history. She was portrayed on Saturday

Night Live, name checked on the West Wing, and featured on magazine

covers. She joked with Jay Leno, balanced a pencil on her nose for David

Letterman, and was the answer to numerous crossword puzzle clues. Many dogs,

and at least one dairy cow, were named for her. When the legendary 1980s Spy

Magazine ran a diagram documenting all her connections with the

headline “Cokie Roberts – Moderately Well-Known Broadcast Journalist or Center

of the Universe?” they were only half-joking.

Cokie

had many roles in her lifetime: Daughter. Wife. Mother. Journalist. Advocate. Historian.

Reflecting on her life, those closest to her remember her impressive mind,

impish wit, infectious laugh, and the tenacity that sent her career

skyrocketing through glass ceilings at NPR and ABC. They marvel at how she

often put others before herself and cared deeply about the world around her. When faced with

daily decisions and dilemmas, many still ask themselves the question, ‘What

Would Cokie Do?’

In this

loving tribute, Cokie’s husband of 53 years and bestselling-coauthor Steve

Roberts reflects not only on her many accomplishments, but on how she lived

each day with a devotion to helping others. For Steve, Cokie’s private life was

as significant and inspirational as her public one. Her commitment to

celebrating and supporting other women was evident in everything she did, and

her generosity and passion drove her personal and professional endeavors.

In Cokie, he has a simple goal: “To tell stories. Some will

make you cheer or laugh or cry. And some, I hope, will inspire you to be more like

Cokie, to be a good person, to lead a good life.”