Shawna Lidsky, a longtime Vermont sports anchor and founder of the Vermont Brownie Company, has died following a battle with cancer. Lidsky died Friday morning, August 28, 2026, after living with the illness for more than five years. She was just shy of her 51st birthday.
Lidsky was widely remembered for her years at WCAX, where she became a familiar presence for viewers across Vermont. She joined the station in 1998 and quickly established herself as a prominent sports reporter, combining a strong commitment to journalism with an energetic and personable style.
During her broadcasting career, Lidsky earned an Edward R. Murrow Award as well as Associated Press awards recognizing her features and sportscasts. Her work allowed her to cover sports throughout the region while also becoming part of the daily lives of viewers who followed WCAX’s programming.
She was particularly known for her role on the station’s morning show alongside Gary Sadowsky and the late Judy Simpson. The three became a recognizable team, helping audiences begin their mornings with news, weather, and sports. According to WCAX, Lidsky took sports seriously but also brought humor and enthusiasm to her work.
Lidsky’s career eventually moved beyond television. In 2008, she founded the Vermont Brownie Company after leaving WCAX. The business became highly successful and eventually brought her national attention.
In 2010, Lidsky appeared on the Food Network program featuring celebrity chef Bobby Flay and defeated him in competition. The victory became one of the notable highlights of her career outside broadcasting and helped introduce her business to a wider audience.
Her life changed in January 2021 when she was diagnosed with cancer. Lidsky spent the following five and a half years battling the disease. Her death on August 28 marked the end of that long fight, according to WCAX.
News of her passing has prompted memories from colleagues and members of the Vermont community who knew her through her television career and later business success. Her combination of determination, humor, storytelling ability, and entrepreneurial spirit made her a distinctive figure in the region.
Lidsky leaves behind her husband, two sons, family members, and many friends. For those closest to her, her death represents a profound personal loss, while former viewers and colleagues are remembering the years she spent reporting on sports and connecting with audiences.
Her legacy extends across two very different careers. She first built a reputation as a respected sports journalist before creating a successful food company that brought her national recognition. Both chapters reflected her willingness to pursue new challenges and her enthusiasm for the work she undertook.
Shawna Lidsky will be remembered in Vermont for her contributions to local sports broadcasting, her entrepreneurial accomplishments, and the personality she brought to the communities she served. Her passing closes the chapter on a life that included journalism, business, family, and a lengthy fight against cancer.
She is survived by her husband, two sons, family, and friends, who now carry forward the memories of her life and accomplishments.
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