Roz Varon age is 68 years old as of August 2026. The longtime Chicago broadcaster was reported as 66 by the Chicago Sun-Times in February 2024, and her public birthday posts place her birthday on November 25, making her birth year 1957. Best known for spending 35 years at ABC7 Chicago, Varon became a familiar face to generations of commuters before retiring in April 2024. Her life since then has included major personal changes, including divorce and the devastating death of her only daughter, Sara Beth Janz, in January 2025.
Searches for Roz Varon now cover much more than her age. People want to know whether she is still married to Glenn Kedzie, why she has spoken about being married four times, what happened to her daughter, whether reports about her weight loss are true, and whether she has a Wikipedia page. This guide separates documented facts from internet speculation.
Roz Varon Age and Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Rosalyn “Roz” Varon |
| Roz Varon age | 68 years old as of August 2026 |
| Birthday | November 25 |
| Birth year | 1957 |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Retired traffic and transportation anchor, journalist, author |
| Former station | ABC7 Chicago / WLS-TV |
| Years at ABC7 | 1989–2024 |
| Retired | April 5, 2024 |
| College | Columbia College Chicago |
| Daughter | Sara Beth Janz |
| Daughter’s age at death | 29 |
| Former husband | Glenn Kedzie |
| Number of marriages | Four, according to Varon herself |
| Current marital status | Divorced |
| Height | Not reliably published |
| Known health history | Stage IV metastatic breast cancer survivor |
| Book | On the Road with Roz: Adventures in Travel and Life |
ABC7 says Varon joined the station in 1989 and retired after 35 years on April 5, 2024. She built her career around traffic, transportation, features, and community reporting.
How Old Is Roz Varon?
Roz Varon is 68 years old as of August 18, 2026.
A 2024 Chicago Sun-Times profile identified Varon as 66 years old in February of that year. Her own social-media history shows her celebrating her birthday on November 25, including a 2021 post in which she noted that her birthday fell on Thanksgiving that year.
That supports a birth date of November 25, 1957.
Therefore, her recent age timeline looks like this:
| Year | Age on November 25 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 65 |
| 2023 | 66 |
| 2024 | 67 |
| 2025 | 68 |
| 2026 | 69 |
Because Varon’s birthday does not arrive until late November, she remains 68 through most of 2026 and will turn 69 on November 25, 2026.
Why Is Roz Varon’s Age Often Reported Incorrectly?
If you search how old is Roz Varon, you may find surprisingly different answers.
Some biography websites have previously claimed that her birth year or exact age was unknown. Others guessed that she was in her 50s long after she had already entered her 60s.
Those discrepancies happen because many celebrity biography sites copy from one another rather than checking contemporary reporting.
The stronger evidence comes from the Chicago Sun-Times, which reported her age directly in 2024, together with Varon’s own birthday posts.
So, the most accurate current answer is simple:
Roz Varon is 68 years old as of August 2026.
What Is Roz Varon’s Height?
Searches for Roz Varon age and height often appear together. However, only one part of that query has strong documentation.
Roz Varon’s height has not been reliably published by ABC7 Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, her official website, or another authoritative professional biography.
Several low-quality celebrity sites list physical measurements without explaining where the information originated. Consequently, assigning Varon an exact height would create false certainty.
Her age is verifiable. Her height currently is not.
Therefore:
Roz Varon age: 68 Roz Varon height: Not officially confirmed
This approach is more accurate than estimating someone’s height from television footage or photographs.
Who Is Roz Varon?
Roz Varon is a veteran Chicago journalist best known for her groundbreaking work as a television traffic and transportation anchor at ABC7 Chicago.
Chicago isn’t simply the city where she worked.
Varon says she was born in Chicago, grew up there, attended college there, and spent her entire professional career in the city.
She eventually became closely associated with ABC7’s morning newscast, helping viewers navigate traffic while also reporting on transportation projects, road safety, travel, and entertainment.
Her personality helped make a subject as routine as rush-hour congestion feel more approachable.
Roz Varon’s Education
Varon attended Maine East High School, where alumni records place her in the Class of 1975.
After high school, she studied at Columbia College Chicago.
The college identifies her as a 1980 alumna and notes her pioneering role in morning television traffic reporting.
Her education helped prepare her for a broadcasting career that initially developed in radio.
Eventually, that experience became crucial when television stations began looking for a new way to deliver traffic information during morning news.
How Roz Varon Changed Chicago Morning Television
Today, a traffic reporter on a morning television show seems completely normal.
It was not normal when Varon started.
ABC7 says she became Chicago’s first morning-news television traffic reporter and one of the earliest people in the country to perform that role. She joined ABC7 News as morning traffic anchor in April 1989.
Varon describes the milestone even more specifically on her website, saying she was the first traffic anchor to bring rush-hour traffic reporting from radio into television morning news.
More Than Traffic Reports
Over the years, her responsibilities expanded.
She covered:
- Chicago traffic
- Transportation projects
- Road construction
- Traffic safety
- Commuter issues
- Major events
- Travel
- Community features
- Entertainment
She also created “Weekender,” which highlighted events around metropolitan Chicago.
That broader range helped turn Varon from a traffic presenter into a recognizable Chicago television personality.
Roz Varon’s 35-Year ABC7 Career
Varon joined ABC7 Chicago in 1989.
She remained there until April 5, 2024, completing an extraordinary 35-year run.
During that period, she became part of the daily routine for countless Chicago viewers.
Her awards included multiple Emmy Awards, Peter Lisagor Awards, and an Illinois Broadcasters Association Silver Dome Award. ABC7 also notes that the Girl Scouts honored her with its Thanks Badge.
Why Did Roz Varon Retire?
Varon announced her retirement in February 2024.
She did not leave because of a public controversy or sudden dismissal. Instead, she decided to end her long broadcasting career after decades of extremely early mornings.
Her final broadcast came on April 5, 2024.
The date marked the end of one of the longest and most recognizable careers in Chicago morning television.
What Is Roz Varon Doing Now?
Since retirement, Varon has remained publicly active.
Her social profiles now identify her as a retired ABC7 traffic anchor, while she continues sharing aspects of travel, theater, animals, community events, cancer advocacy, and her personal life.
However, her retirement years have also included profound grief.
Her daughter Sara died unexpectedly on January 1, 2025, only months after Varon ended her daily broadcasting career.
That loss has understandably shaped much of Varon’s life since.
Is Roz Varon Still Married to Glenn Kedzie?
No. Roz Varon is no longer married to Glenn Kedzie.
This is one area where many older online biographies have become outdated.
Varon and Glenn Kedzie married in 2005. A contemporary local report documented their wedding reception at Marshall Field’s and their honeymoon in Hawaii.
Ten years later, Varon wrote warmly about their marriage and their plans to renew their vows in Hawaii.
However, the relationship later ended.
In an April 2025 post on her own website, Varon explicitly said she had been “married and divorced 4 times.”
Therefore, older pages that continue to call Glenn Kedzie her current husband are no longer accurate.
Roz Varon and Glenn Kedzie’s Marriage
Varon and Kedzie married in June 2005.
Their wedding had strong Chicago connections. The celebration took place at Marshall Field’s and included an Eli’s Cheesecake wedding cake before the couple traveled to Hawaii for their honeymoon.
Their relationship later faced a major challenge when Varon received a serious cancer diagnosis shortly after their first anniversary.
In her 2015 anniversary essay, Varon credited Kedzie with supporting her throughout treatment and helping raise Sara as his own.
Eventually, however, the marriage ended in divorce.
Varon has not made the exact timeline or reasons for that divorce a major part of her public story.
Was Roz Varon Married Four Times?
Yes. Roz Varon has personally confirmed that she was married and divorced four times.
This isn’t simply a celebrity-blog rumor.
In April 2025, while writing about grief after losing Sara, Varon discussed speaking regularly with Sara’s father and described him as her third ex-husband rather than her most recent ex. She then directly clarified that she had been married and divorced four times.
That statement settles a question that many biography sites previously handled incorrectly.
Who Was Sara’s Father?
Sara’s father is Ed Janz.
Varon referred to him directly in later writing about their shared grief after their daughter’s death. She explained that they remained in contact because losing Sara created an experience only they could fully understand together.
In another 2025 essay, Varon described Sara’s father visiting and participating in family and religious gatherings.
Roz Varon’s Daughter: Who Was Sara Beth Janz?
Sara Beth Janz was Roz Varon’s only child.
Viewers who followed Varon for years may remember Sara appearing occasionally with her mother on ABC7.
Sara also had her own connection to media.
ABC7 says she briefly worked at WLS and participated actively in the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She helped establish its junior board and had previously received a NATAS Chicago scholarship.
Sara eventually married and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband.
Tragically, she died there on January 1, 2025, at only 29 years old.
What Happened to Roz Varon’s Daughter?
The search Roz Varon daughter illness became common after ABC7 announced Sara’s death.
The most accurate answer is that Sara Beth Janz died unexpectedly from a medical complication after a recent illness.
ABC7 initially reported that the 29-year-old died following a recent illness. Later coverage described her death as resulting from an unexpected medical complication.
What Illness Did Roz Varon’s Daughter Have?
A specific diagnosis has not been publicly established by the strongest available sources.
Therefore, it would be irresponsible to assign Sara a particular illness simply because speculation appears online.
What has been confirmed is:
- Sara became ill shortly before her death.
- She died unexpectedly on January 1, 2025.
- ABC7 later described the cause broadly as a medical complication.
- She was 29 years old.
Unless Varon chooses to disclose more, that is the appropriate level of detail.
How Roz Varon Has Spoken About Losing Her Daughter
Varon has been unusually open about grief.
In April 2025, she published a deeply personal essay explaining that losing her only child changed the entire trajectory of her life. She described the difference between showing positive moments on social media and privately struggling with the reality of the loss.
She also explained that there is no universal rulebook for grief.
Rather than presenting herself as endlessly strong, Varon has emphasized that grief can remain unpredictable and intensely personal.
That openness has turned her post-broadcast public presence into something very different from the cheerful traffic reports viewers knew for decades.
The Sara Janz “Take Your Shot” Memorial Scholarship
Varon responded to her daughter’s death by creating something designed to continue Sara’s legacy.
She established the Sara Janz “Take Your Shot” Memorial Scholarship for aspiring media professionals. ABC7 reported on the fund shortly after Sara’s death.
Varon later organized fundraising activities, including a Pilates event, to support the scholarship.
A “Stars for Sara” benefit concert also brought together Chicago media and entertainment figures to raise support for the fund.
The scholarship connects directly with Sara’s own involvement in television and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Roz Varon’s Cancer Journey
Long before the loss of her daughter, Varon faced a life-threatening health crisis herself.
In July 2006, she received a diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Her daughter was only 10 at the time.
Varon chose to discuss the diagnosis publicly.
She sought additional medical opinions, researched treatment choices, and eventually became a vocal advocate for breast-cancer education.
Her personal website says she has been in remission since January 2007.
A Second Breast Cancer Diagnosis
In 2013, a mammogram detected malignant calcifications in the same breast.
She then received a diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), Stage 0.
Once again, Varon talked openly about her experience and used her television platform to encourage screening and awareness.
ABC7 later recognized her as both a survivor and a major advocate for cancer prevention.
Did Roz Varon Lose Weight?
The phrase Roz Varon weight loss produces several questionable pages online.
However, there is no strong, authoritative evidence confirming the dramatic weight-loss stories currently circulating about her.
For example, one low-quality web page claims that Varon lost 40 pounds in six months. No reliable ABC7 report, interview with Varon, or statement on her official site reviewed for this article confirms that figure.
Therefore, readers should not treat it as fact.
Did Roz Varon Reveal a Weight-Loss Program?
There is no verified public evidence that Varon followed or promoted a specific dramatic weight-loss plan.
Likewise, authoritative sources do not establish that she used:
- GLP-1 medication
- Weight-loss supplements
- A particular commercial diet
- Extreme calorie restriction
- A specific “40-pound transformation” program
Appearance can change with age, health, stress, lifestyle, grief, clothing, and many other factors.
Without Varon’s own confirmation, turning those visual changes into a weight-loss narrative would be speculation.
Is Roz Varon’s Weight Loss Connected to Her Daughter’s Death?
There is no responsible basis for making that medical connection.
Varon has openly discussed the emotional impact of losing Sara, but she has not publicly established a specific weight change caused by grief in the reliable material reviewed here.
Consequently, readers should avoid assuming that changes in someone’s appearance reveal their physical or mental health.
Her own writing focuses on grief, loneliness, healing, family, animals, and finding purpose, not on a documented weight-loss transformation.
Does Roz Varon Have a Wikipedia Page?
People frequently search Roz Varon Wikipedia or how old is Roz Varon Wikipedia.
As of August 2026, Roz Varon does not appear to have a dedicated English-language Wikipedia biography.
She does appear in citations and references on Wikipedia pages connected with Chicago transportation and media topics, but a dedicated page for her does not currently surface in Wikipedia search results.
That may explain why users searching Wikipedia for a simple age answer often end up on third-party biography sites instead.
For Varon, stronger sources include:
- ABC7 Chicago
- Her official website
- Columbia College Chicago
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Local Chicago reporting
Those sources document her career more reliably than many “wiki-style” celebrity blogs.
Roz Varon’s Book and Travel Writing
Traffic was not Varon’s only interest.
She also developed a strong reputation for travel writing and photography.
Her book, On the Road with Roz: Adventures in Travel and Life, grew from years of documenting family trips, Route 66 adventures, and destinations around the world.
ABC7 highlighted the book when discussing the broader range of work she completed during her career.
Travel also became an important part of Varon’s family life, particularly with Sara.
Her later grief essays frequently reference the trips they took together and the difficulty of imagining future travel without her daughter.
Roz Varon’s Awards and Professional Legacy
Varon’s longevity matters, but awards also show how peers viewed her work.
ABC7 credits her with:
- Multiple Emmy Awards
- Peter Lisagor Awards
- Illinois Broadcasters Association Silver Dome Award
- Girl Scouts of the USA Thanks Badge
- Recognition for cancer-awareness work
In 2024, she also received a Lifetime Achievement Award through the Chicago journalism community as she concluded her broadcasting career.
Still, her greatest professional impact may be less tangible.
Traffic segments are now standard parts of local morning television. When Varon began doing the job in 1989, that format was still new.
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Roz Varon Career Timeline
1957: Born in Chicago
Varon was born in Chicago and grew up in the area. Her publicly documented birthday is November 25.
1975: Graduates From Maine East
Maine East alumni records list Varon as a member of its 1975 graduating class.
1980: Columbia College Chicago
She graduated from Columbia College Chicago, where she developed her broadcasting skills.
1989: Joins ABC7 Chicago
Varon became morning traffic anchor when ABC7 launched its morning newscast.
2005: Marries Glenn Kedzie
Varon and Kedzie married in Chicago and honeymooned in Hawaii.
2006: Stage IV Breast Cancer Diagnosis
She received a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis and began treatment.
2007: Enters Remission
Varon says she has been in remission since January 2007.
2013: Second Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Doctors detected Stage 0 DCIS during a mammogram.
2024: Retires From ABC7
Her final day after 35 years was April 5, 2024.
January 2025: Sara Dies
Her only daughter, Sara Beth Janz, died unexpectedly at age 29 after a recent illness and medical complication.
2025: Varon Confirms Four Divorces
In her own writing, Varon publicly confirmed that she had been married and divorced four times.
2025–2026: Continuing Sara’s Legacy
Varon has supported the Sara Janz “Take Your Shot” Memorial Scholarship while continuing to speak publicly about grief and healing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Roz Varon
How old is Roz Varon?
Roz Varon is 68 years old as of August 2026. She will turn 69 on November 25, 2026. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that she was 66 in February 2024.
When is Roz Varon’s birthday?
Roz Varon celebrates her birthday on November 25. Her 2021 birthday fell on Thanksgiving.
What year was Roz Varon born?
Available age reporting and her documented birthday place her birth year in 1957.
What is Roz Varon’s height?
Roz Varon’s exact height is not reliably published by authoritative sources. Figures on unsourced biography websites should therefore be treated cautiously.
Is Roz Varon retired?
Yes. Varon retired from ABC7 Chicago on April 5, 2024, after 35 years at the station.
Is Roz Varon still married to Glenn Kedzie?
No. Roz Varon and Glenn Kedzie are no longer married. Varon confirmed in 2025 that she had been married and divorced four times.
When did Roz Varon marry Glenn Kedzie?
Varon and Kedzie married in 2005 and celebrated their wedding at Marshall Field’s in Chicago.
Was Roz Varon married four times?
Yes. Varon herself confirmed that she has been married and divorced four times.
Who was Roz Varon’s daughter’s father?
Sara’s father is Ed Janz, whom Varon has described as her third ex-husband.
Did Roz Varon have a daughter?
Yes. Her only child was Sara Beth Janz.
What happened to Roz Varon’s daughter?
Sara died unexpectedly on January 1, 2025, in New Mexico. ABC7 reported that she died following a recent illness and later described the cause broadly as a medical complication. She was 29.
What illness did Roz Varon’s daughter have?
A specific diagnosis has not been publicly confirmed in authoritative reporting. ABC7 has described her death as involving a recent illness and an unexpected medical complication.
How old was Roz Varon’s daughter when she died?
Sara Beth Janz was 29 years old.
What is the Sara Janz Memorial Scholarship?
Varon created the Sara Janz “Take Your Shot” Memorial Scholarship to honor her daughter’s legacy and support future media professionals.
Did Roz Varon lose 40 pounds?
There is no reliable evidence confirming the widely circulated claim that Roz Varon lost exactly 40 pounds. The claim appears on low-quality sites but is not supported by Varon’s official website or credible reporting reviewed for this article.
What diet did Roz Varon use?
No authoritative source confirms a specific Roz Varon weight-loss diet or program. Claims about medication, supplements, or extreme diets should not be presented as fact.
Did Roz Varon have cancer?
Yes. Varon received a Stage IV metastatic breast cancer diagnosis in July 2006 and says she has been in remission since January 2007.
Does Roz Varon have a Wikipedia page?
As of August 2026, she does not appear to have a dedicated English-language Wikipedia biography. Wikipedia contains references to her reporting but not a standalone Roz Varon article.
Where did Roz Varon work?
She spent 35 years at ABC7 Chicago, from 1989 until her retirement in 2024.
Conclusion
Roz Varon age is 68 years old as of August 2026, and she will celebrate her 69th birthday on November 25. Her exact height, meanwhile, has never been reliably established in authoritative professional sources.
Varon’s story reaches far beyond her age. She spent 35 years at ABC7 Chicago, helped pioneer television traffic reporting, won multiple broadcasting awards, survived Stage IV breast cancer, wrote about travel, and became a recognizable part of Chicago morning television.
Her personal life has also been more complicated than many outdated biographies suggest. Roz Varon is no longer married to Glenn Kedzie, and she has personally confirmed that she has been married and divorced four times.
Most importantly, her life changed profoundly when her only daughter, Sara Beth Janz, died unexpectedly at age 29 on January 1, 2025. Reliable sources describe Sara’s death as following a recent illness and involving a medical complication, but no specific diagnosis has been publicly confirmed.
Varon has since turned part of that grief into purpose by supporting the Sara Janz “Take Your Shot” Memorial Scholarship and speaking openly about what it means to live with loss. For readers interested in longtime television personalities, her career offers a compelling story of broadcasting innovation, resilience, family, health advocacy, and life after retirement.
