WGN's Mark Suppelsa Signs Off For Good

CHICAGO, IL — After more than three decades in the news business, WGN Evening News anchor Mark Suppelsa will sign off for the last time Friday. Suppelsa, 55, a Libertyville native and Lincoln-Way graduate, announced his retirement earlier this year after nearly 10 years with the station.

Co-anchor of WGN's Evening News at 5 and 6 p.m. and WGN News at 9 and 10 p.m., Suppelsa said he and his wife are ready for a change of scenery and a slower pace. He told the Chicago Tribune they plan to retire to a cabin they purchased in Montana 23 years ago.

After decades of the hustle and bustle of a newsroom, "I will be ready for the change in lifestyle," he said.

Suppelsa moved to Frankfort with his family in 1978, attending Lincoln-Way before heading to Marquette University in Milwaukee. He spent some time working at radio and TV stations in Wisconsin and Minnesota before returning to Chicago's NBC 5 in 1993. He joined WGN in 2008.

His final WGN broadcast will air Friday evening.

Suppelsa posted some bittersweet tweets as he emptied his office at WGN and prepared to bid his coworkers good-bye.

He also addressed his fans — including a personal good-bye to one loyal viewer.

Suppelsas's colleagues have also been preparing to bid him farewell. In an episode of WGN telenovela "Noticias de mi Corazon" that aired Thursday, co-workers Lourdes Duarte, Dan Ponce and Ana Belaval searched for a "missing" Mark Suppelsa as others in the newsroom cried and wailed over their loss.

The trio was finally able to track down the missing anchor — where else? — at a Chicago retirement community.

More fun with Suppelsa as he tries to figure out where he's supposed to be looking:

WGN anchor Mark Suppelsa/photo via WGN