A news anchor for an Illinois NBC affiliate passed away after being unwell and being hospitalised while on vacation in Florida with her husband and their two young boys.
Lesley Swick Van Ness, an executive and anchor for Grey Television, the corporate company of WGEM-TV, was declared deceased on Monday in Naples, Florida.
“In the eyes of a small community she was a celebrity,” Tom and Neat Brower wrote in response to an online obituary.
“It is with a very heavy heart that we share some devastating news with you,” Jennifer Dale, the vice president of recruiting at Gray Television, said in a statement that was posted on Muddy River News.
“Lesley Van Ness, who we have been so fortunate to have as part of the Gray family, passed away this (Monday) morning.”
Dale continued: “Lesley had been on vacation with her beautiful family in Florida when she fell ill and was hospitalized last Thursday.”
“Lesley and her husband Tom have two precious young boys,” the statement read.
“Please keep all of them in your prayers. We will keep everyone posted on arrangements.”
Van Ness’ colleagues remembered her as a force to be reckoned with.
”She was a powerful personality,” Matt Schmidt, an anchor at WGEM-TV from 2007 until 2014, told the news station.
“She could walk into the newsroom and instantly take over. She just had a commanding presence about her.”
Schmidt added: “Sitting on the news desk was an awesome experience.”
“She wasn’t afraid to do the dirty work and wasn’t afraid to work the extra hour, especially if it was something that was really impacting the community,” said WGEM-TV meteorologist Brian Inman.
According to her LinkedIn page, Van Ness, an alumna of Illinois State University, started her career as a reporter at WGEM-TV, the NBC local station in Quincy, Illinois, in 2003.
She changed careers and became a weekend anchor in 2006. She began hosting the weekday evening and late-night newscasts two years later.
Then Van Ness transitioned to the corporate side of the company. She was appointed Quincy Media’s talent acquisition expert in 2016.
In her LinkedIn profile, Van Ness stated, “Family priorities changed and I jumped at the chance to become Quincy Media’s first corporate recruiter from 2016 to 2021.”
Grey Television and Quincy Media amalgamated their businesses in 2021, providing the combined company a network of local television stations throughout 113 areas.
Monday at 10 a.m., Van Ness’ funeral service will be held at St. John’s Anglican Parish in Quincy.
“When I think of Leslie I bring up memories of a beautiful child swimming in the Hamilton swimming pool,” Tom and Neat Brower wrote in their heartfelt message.
“She did her job with integrity,” they wrote.
“Lesley will always hold a place in our hearts.”