Longtime journalist, Ann Arbor area radio host Lisa Barry passes away unexpectedly

ANN ARBOR – Award-winning journalist and host at WEMU Lisa Barry passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday night.

The host of “All Things Considered” died from complications from a heart condition, according to an announcement by the station.

“Lisa was the heartbeat of WEMU,” said station general manager Molly Motherwell. “She just had a vibrancy to her. She was intensely interested in everything and everybody. It’s left a huge hole here. This is not a loss we will recover from.”

On Wednesday, friends and colleagues of Barry’s took to social media to share their reactions to the news of her sudden passing.

Throughout her career, Barry interviewed numerous high profile figures, including U.S. presidents and celebrities. But her love for human interest stories is what brought her to pursue a public radio career at WEMU in 2015 after years at Detroit commercial stations WXYT, WNIC and WJR.

She was a storyteller who enjoyed connecting with and learning from members of the local community more than anything, said Motherwell.

“She wanted to tell stories about people, community, the arts and the spiritual side of things,” said Motherwell. “When we had a position open, she applied for it and we were thrilled to get her. She plunged into everything and made herself popular in about a week. She was a breath of fresh air and arrived just when we needed her.”

Colleague, host of WEMU’s “The In Crowd” and friend of Barry’s, Jessica Webster Sendra said Barry constantly sought connection with others.

“I think the thing that’s really important for people to understand, as we all grieve together on social media, I see a thread of people saying they met Lisa for a story and then she became their friend,” said Webster Sendra. “And they felt like she was always there reaching out to them checking in and following up.

“Lisa got as much out of that as anyone else did. She was always seeking and always searching for connection with people. She benefitted so much from the kindness and positiveness in the community.”

From capturing photos of sunsets outside the station’s window to posting pictures of hearts she found in rocks, clouds and other natural formations, Sendra said Barry “saw the love in everything.”

Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell released the following statement on Wednesday evening:

My heart is heavy today as we mourn the loss of Lisa Barry, a long-time radio host and reporter, most recently for WEMU. Lisa was a seasoned broadcaster who brought realness into her reporting. We last spoke on air about the impact of 9/11 on our community and our country as a whole – she had a way of making you feel at ease and capturing the most important details in her interviews.

One of her last segments focused on Michigan’s marching band drum major, and I know she will be cheering ‘Go Blue!’ from above this Saturday. She will be greatly missed by the Detroit community. My heart is with her family and friends as they navigate this difficult time.

Barry leaves behind her husband and two sons.

Motherwell said the station received a flood of contributions in Barry’s honor on Wednesday. She said Barry was passionate about supporting WEMU’s fundraising efforts, so much so that she’d write personal thank you notes to donors who made major gifts.

Motherwell went on air on Wednesday to share some words about what Barry meant to the station, including a story about the way she would leave work each day.

“Lisa had a little quirk where at the end of her shift she just got up and left,” said Motherwell. “She would get up from the announcer chair, get her purse from the newsroom and leave. She never said ‘see you later.’ So, one time I asked her, ‘Why do you do that?’

“She said, ‘I don’t believe in goodbyes.’ I think that came out of the death of her sister from cancer. (So) we’re not going to say goodbye to Lisa. She’s always going to be in our hearts and what we call ourselves -- Team WEMU.”