Judith Mary Gruber

Washington area classical music radio announcer Judy Gruber died on Sunday, December 7, 2025 at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA. She was 82 years old.

Ms. Gruber was a native of St. Louis and attended college at Washington University. In one of her early jobs, she served as Director of Public Relations for the Washington Opera. Each year the opera would host a radiothon with classical music station WGMS. Judy was so entertaining as an on-air presence during these events, that she was later hired away by radio station WGMS in 1986 and became the weekend host. She continued working at WGMS until 2007 when a format swap was announced with WGMS and WETA, with WETA assuming classical music programming for the Washington metropolitan area. Judy moved to the new station and continued as weekend host until her retirement from the station.

Among Ms. Gruber's volunteer activities was her service as a founding board member of Washington Concert Opera in 1986, along with conductor Stephen Crout from Washington Opera and Peter Russell from Wolf Trap Opera. The debut performance was "The Pearl Fishers" by composer Georges Bizet on May 3, 1987. She proudly served as a board member until her appointment as Executive Director of the company in 2005, a post which she held until 2012.

In retirement, Ms. Gruber derived great satisfaction from her work as a volunteer wheelchair escort at Virginia Hospital Center.

A "Gathering of Remembrance" will be held on Sunday, January 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home, 1500 W. Braddock Rd., Alexandria, VA (703) 998-9200.