Judy Lee Klemesrud (June 11, 1939 – October 12, 1985) was a writer for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' from 1966 until her death in 1985.

Biography

Judy Lee Klemesrud was born on June 11, 1939, in

Thompson, Iowa Thompson is a city in Winnebago County, Iowa, United States. The population was 495 at the time of the 2020 census. Thompson is home to the Winnebago County Fair, held annually, various agricultural businesses, a public outdoor swimming pool, th ...

, to Glee Catherine Florence Klemsrud (1909–1986) and Theo Severin Klemesrud (1902–1995). She had a sister, Candace K. Klemesrud (1947–1989) and a brother, Tom Theo Klemesrud. Her father, who survived both his daughters, owned and published the '' Thompson Courier and Rake Register'' in Winnebago County,

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

. She attended the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

from 1958 until she was graduated in 1961. She later attended the Columbia University School of Journalism. While attending the

, she worked as an editor at '' The Daily Iowan''. She then spent four years as a reporter for the '' Chicago Daily News''. She then spent 19 years at ''The New York Times'' beginning in 1966, and ending at her death in 1985. She also wrote for such magazines as: ''

Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...

'', ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Internationalism * World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship * Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community * Cosmopolitan ...

'',↵'' Ladies Home Journal'', '' Redbook'', and ''

The New York Times Magazine ''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors. The magazi ...

''. In 1968, she signed the "

Writers and Editors War Tax Protest Tax resistance, the practice of refusing to pay taxes that are considered unjust, has probably existed ever since rulers began imposing taxes on their subjects. It has been suggested that tax resistance played a significant role in the collapse o ...

" pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War. Judy wrote an op-ed fear mongering piece without any facts or evidence to support her opinions on October 28, 1970, titled "Those Treats May Be Tricks," which sparked a historic nationwide panic towards Halloween candy being poisoned which lasts to contemporary times. Klemdesrud wrote "Donald Trump, Real Estate Promoter, Builds Image as He Buys Buildings," the first

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

profile, which appeared in the ''New York Times'' in November 1976.Donald Trump, Real Estate Promoter, Builds Image as He Buys Buildings
''New York Times'', November 1, 1976. Retrieved May 20, 2016.

Death

Klemesrud died of breast cancer on October 12, 1985, at the age of 46. She is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, in her native Thompson.

Awards

She won various awards for her work at The ''New York Times''. These included two "Page One" awards from the Newspaper Guild of New York for her 1973 story, ''In a Small Town U.S.A., Women's Lib is Either a Joke or a Rarity'', and a 1983 profile on tennis celebrity

Ivan Lendl Ivan Lendl (; born March 7, 1960) is a Czech-American former professional tennis player and coach. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, he was ranked as the world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis ...

. In 1969 she won a Front Page Award from the Newspaper Women's Club of New York for a story about adoptions by single women.

References

External links

Audio tape. Judy is interviewed about her career

Judy Klemesrud memorial service audio tape, New York City, 10-29-1985
{{DEFAULTSORT:Klemesrud, Judy Lee 1939 births 1985 deaths American women journalists American tax resisters Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni Deaths from breast cancer in New York (state) The New York Times journalists People from Winnebago County, Iowa University of Iowa alumni American people of Norwegian descent 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American women writers