Who was Margie Willett, Dick Van Dyke’s first wife, and why did she pass?
Margie Willett was an American ex-celebrity spouse widely known for being the ex-wife of Dick Van Dyke. Dick is an award-winning American actor, producer, writer and comedian. He has been in the entertainment industry for over seven decades and some films and TV series he has starred in include Mary Poppins Returns and Diagnosed Murder: Town Without Pity.
Source: Getty Images
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Margie Willett came into the limelight following her marriage to Dick Van Dyke. Margie and Dick were married for over 30 years before calling it quits in 1984. She died at the age of 81 years old.
Profile summary
| Full name | Margie Willet |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 1927 |
| Age | 81 years old (at the time of her death) |
| Place of birth | Danville, Illinois, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height | 5'4" (163 centimetres) |
| Weight | 121 pounds (55 kgs) |
| Body measurements | 34-32-36 inches (86-81-91 cm) |
| Hair colour | Brown |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Ex-husband | Dick Van Dyke |
| Children | 4 |
Margie Willett's biography
Margie was born in Danville, Illinois, United States. She was an American citizen of white ethnicity.
How old was Margie Willett?
Margie Willett's age at death was 81 years old.
Why was Margie Willett famous?
Margie into the spotlight following her marriage to American actor Dick Van Dyke.
What was Margie Willett's net worth?
Source: Getty Images
According to Celebrity Net Worth, her ex-husband has a net worth of $50 million.
How did Margie Willett meet Dick Van Dyke?
Margie and Dick Van Dyke met in Danville, Illinois, United States, in 1947. After dating for a year, they exchanged their wedding vows on 12 February 1948 on a radio live broadcast show, Bride and Groom, due to financial problems. The show's producer sponsored their honeymoon.
In an interview with The Guardian, Dick Van Dyke mentioned:
We exchanged our vows in front of a minister and two radio microphones while 15 million people listened!
They divorced due to infIdelity. The actor cheated on his wife with Michelle Triola, his agent's secretary by then. He confessed to his wife in 1974 after dating Michelle privately. They separated for eight years before finalising their divorce on 4 May 1984.
Willett never had any other relationship after her divorce from the actor. Dick got into a relationship with a former actress Michelle Triola Marvin whom they spent 35 years before her death in 2009. In 2012, Dick married Arlene Silver, a makeup artist, who is 46 years younger.
Here is how the actor commented about their marriage in an interview with The Guardian:
We don’t feel the age gap. I’m emotionally immature and Arlene is very wise for her age, so we meet in the middle.
Margie Willett's children
Source: Getty Images
The ex-couple has four children, two daughters, Stacy and Carrie Beth, and two sons, Barry and Christian. Willett also suffered a miscarriage and lost twins.
Barry followed in his father's footsteps by becoming an actor. He is well known for his roles in TV series and films such as Diagnosis Murder, Remington Steele and Heavenly Deposit. Barry has been married to Mary Carey since 1974. They share four children, Carey, Taryn, Wes and Shane.
Stacy is a former actress best known for starring in the movies and TV series, Diagnosis Murder: Town Without Pity and The New Dick Van Dyke Show. She is married to Mike Breen, and they have two children, one called Ryan.
Christian was born on 13 May 1950. He is married to Caroline A Heller. They welcomed their daughter Jessica Lee in 1974. Jessica passed away in 1987. They also have two other children, a son and a daughter.
Carrie Beth was born on 27 August 1962. She is married to Kevin McNally and has two children.
What happened to Margie Willett?
Dick Van Dyke's first wife passed away in 2008 at the age of 81 years old. Pancreatic cancer was Margie Willett's cause of death. Even though Dick had long divorced Margie, he felt devastated by her death. According to Country Living, he said:
Even though we were long divorced, with her death, I lost a part of myself.
Why did Dick Van Dyke leave his first wife?
He cheated on his first wife with Michelle Triola, his then-agent's secretary.
Who are Margie Willett's grandchildren?
Willet has more than ten grandkids, the known ones being Shane, Wes, Carey, Ryan and Jessica.
Fast facts about Margie Willett and Dick Van Dyke
- They first met in 1947.
- She was married to Dick for 36 years.
- They divorced in May 1984.
- Margie was a very private person.
Margie Willett was famous for being the first wife of the renowned actor Dick Van Dyke. The pair divorced in 1984, marking the end of their 36 years of marriage. She died at the age of 81.
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