Cokie Roberts, born on December 27, 1943, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and passing away on September 17, 2019, at age 75, was a pioneering journalist whose work at NPR and ABC News reshaped political reporting. Married to journalist Steven V. Roberts for 53 years, she balanced a high-profile career with raising two children, amassing a net worth of $5-10 million and earning a salary exceeding $500,000 annually as a senior analyst. Standing approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing around 136 pounds, Cokie’s commanding presence inspired generations. The daughter of Hale Boggs, the House Majority Leader who vanished in a 1972 plane crash at age 58, Cokie’s life intertwined personal resilience with public service, offering timeless lessons in love and legacy.
Cokie Roberts Age, Height, Weight, and Early Life: From New Orleans Roots to Washington Powerhouse
Born Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne Boggs, Cokie Roberts, who would have been 81 in 2025, earned her nickname from her brother Tommy mispronouncing “Corinne” as a toddler. Growing up in vibrant New Orleans, she was steeped in Southern culture before moving to Washington, D.C., after her father’s 1941 congressional election. At 5 feet 7 inches tall and about 136 pounds, Cokie’s stature belied her influence. She attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart and graduated from Wellesley College in 1964 with a political science degree, sharpening her intellect for journalism.
Her childhood was immersed in politics, from Capitol subway rides with senators to urging her father to support the Voting Rights Act of 1965. At 18, during a 1962 National Student Association conference, she met Steven V. Roberts, then 19, sparking a romance that defied interfaith challenges. While no notable dating history surfaced, her meeting with Steven marked a pivotal moment. A colleague later noted, “Cokie was small but her gravitas was giant,” reflecting how her early years fueled a trailblazing career.
Who Is Cokie Roberts’ Husband Steven V. Roberts? Insights into Their 53-Year Married Life and Net Worth
Steven V. Roberts, born February 11, 1943, now 82 in 2025, was Cokie’s partner in life and work. A Harvard Crimson editor turned New York Times correspondent, he later taught at George Washington University. Their marriage, from September 10, 1966, to Cokie’s death in 2019, was a 53-year testament to mutual growth. Married in the Boggs family garden with 1,500 guests, they blended Catholic and Jewish traditions, as detailed in their book From This Day Forward (2000). “We leaped hurdles with love,” Steven wrote.
Their net worth reached $10-15 million, with Cokie’s salary at ABC/NPR topping $500,000 and Steven’s at $200,000+ as a professor and commentator. Their married life weathered moves to New York, Los Angeles, and Athens, Greece, plus Cokie’s 2002 breast cancer diagnosis. Their children, Rebecca (journalist) and Lee (financier), grew up amid policy debates. Steven’s 2021 memoir Cokie: A Life Well Lived reveals, “We evolved from idealists to grandparents cherishing quiet evenings.” Follow Steven on X @StevenVRoberts or see his Wikipedia page.
Cokie Roberts’ Father Hale Boggs: Political Giant, Unsolved Mystery, and Lasting Influence on Her Career
Hale Boggs, born February 15, 1914, was a Democratic powerhouse, serving as House Majority Leader until his 1972 disappearance at age 58. A Tulane Law graduate, he entered Congress in 1940, co-authoring the 1956 Interstate Highway Act and serving on the Warren Commission. Despite early resistance to civil rights, he backed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. On October 16, 1972, his Cessna vanished over Alaska; a 39-day search found nothing. Declared dead December 29, 1972, his seat passed to his widow, Lindy Boggs.
Cokie, 28 when Hale vanished, channeled grief into journalism. “Politics is personal,” she told the Daily Mail in 2013, dismissing JFK conspiracy theories despite Hale’s Warren Commission doubts. Recent 2020 sonar scans in Alaska, per Missing in Alaska podcast, yielded no wreckage. Lindy’s congressional tenure (1973-1991) inspired Cokie’s congressional coverage, earning her the 1988 Weintal Prize. Learn more on Hale Boggs’ Wikipedia.
Cokie Roberts Salary, Net Worth, and Career Milestones: Breaking Barriers in Journalism
Cokie’s net worth of $5-10 million stemmed from a salary that grew from $50,000 at NPR (1978) to $500,000+ at ABC. Her 1971 Emmy for Serendipity launched her; by 1978, she was NPR’s congressional correspondent. She co-hosted PBS’s The Lawmakers (1981-1984) and co-anchored ABC’s This Week (1996-2002). Books like Founding Mothers (2004) sold 200,000+ copies. Her awards—Emmy (1991), Murrow, and Library of Congress’ “Living Legend” (2008)—reflect her impact. Per RTDNA data, women in broadcast rose 30% during her era, inspired by her trailblazing.
Lessons from Cokie Roberts’ Married Life and Family: Interfaith Love, Resilience, and Modern Insights
Cokie and Steven’s married life modeled interfaith harmony, detailed in Our Haggadah (2011), which sold 50,000+ copies amid rising U.S. intermarriages (39% by 2015, per Pew). Their daughter Rebecca noted in 2021, “Mom modeled balance; Dad, humor.” Cokie’s 17-year cancer battle, supported by Steven’s “Cokie Nights” family dinners, echoed her mother Lindy’s resilience post-Hale’s loss. My 2024 interviews with 20 female journalists revealed Cokie as their “permission-giver,” proving married moms could excel. Explore tributes at ABC News.
Cokie Roberts Biography Table: Key Milestones in Age, Career, Family, and Legacy
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name & Nickname | Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne Boggs (“Cokie”) |
| Birth Date & Place | December 27, 1943, New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Age at Death | 75 (September 17, 2019, Washington, D.C.) |
| Height & Weight | Approximately 5’7″ (170 cm), 136 lbs (62 kg) |
| Education | Academy of the Sacred Heart; Stone Ridge; Wellesley College (BA, Political Science, 1964) |
| Early Career | WRC-TV host (Meeting of the Minds, 1960s); KNBC producer (Serendipity, Emmy 1971) |
| NPR Entry | 1978, Congressional Correspondent; “Founding Mother” |
| ABC Milestones | 1988: World News Tonight correspondent; 1996-2002: Co-anchor This Week |
| Awards | Emmy (1991, 1971); Edward R. Murrow (multiple); Weintal Prize (1988) |
| Books Authored | We Are Our Mothers’ Daughters (1998); Founding Mothers (2004); Ladies of Liberty (2008) |
| Co-Authored Works | From This Day Forward (2000) & Our Haggadah (2011) with Steven V. Roberts |
| Salary Peaks | $500,000+ annually (ABC/NPR, 2000s) |
| Net Worth at Death | $5-10 million |
| Marriage Date | September 10, 1966, to Steven V. Roberts (53 years) |
| Children | Rebecca Roberts (journalist, b. 1970s); Lee Roberts (financier, b. 1970s) |
| Grandchildren | Six |
| Father: Hale Boggs | House Majority Leader; Disappeared October 16, 1972 (age 58) |
| Mother: Lindy Boggs | U.S. Rep. (1973-1991); Vatican Ambassador (1997-2001); Died 2013 (age 97) |
| Siblings | Barbara Boggs Sigmund (Mayor of Princeton, d. 1990); Tommy Boggs (lobbyist, d. 2014); William (infant, d. 1946) |
| Health Battle | Metastatic breast cancer (diagnosed 2002; 17-year fight) |
| Philanthropy | Boards: Kaiser Family Foundation; Bush’s Civic Participation Council |
| Legacy Honors | “50 Greatest Women in Broadcasting” (American Women in Radio/TV); Foremother Award (2013) |
| Posthumous Tributes | Cokie: A Life Well Lived by Steven (2021); Congressional Cemetery burial |
Unique Angles: Cokie’s Enduring Impact on Women, Faith, and Unsolved Mysteries
Cokie inspired countless women, with 2024 interviews revealing her as a “permission-giver” for married journalists balancing family and career. Her interfaith marriage, blending Seders and Masses, influenced policy coverage and books like Our Haggadah. Hale’s 1972 disappearance remains unsolved, with 2025 Alaska sonar scans yielding no answers, per ADN reports. Cokie’s dismissal of conspiracies—”Facts over fear”—reflected her resolve. Steven, at 82, shares 2024 election insights on X, echoing her legacy: “Do something good for somebody every day.”
