As the ex-wife of renowned American actor Dick Van Dyke, Margie Willett was a well-known American celebrity. She was raised in Illinois, where she first met Van Dyke. After dating for about a month, they were engaged. The pair were married in Los Angeles in 1948.
They didn’t even have enough money for their wedding at the time, which was long before Van Dyke became well-known and wealthy.
A kind radio broadcaster on whose program they decided to be married provided financial support for their wedding and honeymoon.
Before her husband’s rise to fame, their lives as newlyweds were very difficult as they both struggled to survive. They formerly struggled with addiction, and they sought treatment at the same rehab facility.
Margie Willet tended to avoid the spotlight and had no interest in the entertainment industry. In 1984, their more than three and a half decade marriage came to an end after welcoming four children.
Their divorce was brought about by Van Dyke’s adultery. She never got remarried after her divorce, and she passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2008.
Margie Willett’s Date of Birth
Marjorie Willett was Margie Willett’s name when she was born in Danville, Illinois, in 1927. She met Van Dyke there where she was raised in Illinois. Little is known about her parents, siblings, schooling, or personal life since she had a very secluded existence.
Margie Willett’s Children
Barry Van Dyke, Carrie Beth Van Dyke, Stacy Van Dyke, and Christian Van Dyke are the names of the four kids she had with Van Dyke.
She fainted and lost twins in the early years of their relationship. She stayed away from the spotlight and the media so that her kids may enjoy regular lives.
Margie Willett’s Husband
When Van Dyke began an affair with Michelle Triola, the secretary of his agency, his marriage began to have difficulties. They maintained their relationship a secret until Van Dyke, overcome with shame, told his wife about it in 1976.
Triola was sued by her former live-in lover and actor Lee Marvin; he even gave her a six-figure sum. Dick Van Dyke and Margie Willet had further serious issues as a result, and the couple divorced on May 4, 1984.
She never got married again and stopped appearing in the media after her divorce. Barry Van Dyke, her son, pursued a career in acting like his father.
After divorcing, Dick Van Dyke married Triola, and after she passed away in 2009, he remarried Arlene Silver, a considerably younger makeup artist, in 2012.
Along with five great-grandchildren called Alex, Ava, Gracie, Jane, and Mia Van Dyke, Willet had five grandkids named Shane, Carey, Taryn, Wes, and Jessica Van Dyke.
Pancreatic cancer was discovered in Margie Willet in 2007, and she died away in 2008.
Margie Willett’s Way to Fame
In 1947, Margie Willett first met Dick Van Dyke in her native Danville, Illinois. It was long before Van Dyke rose to fame and fortune. After just one month of dating, they were engaged, and they went to Los Angeles to be married.
The wedding, which was sponsored by the show’s producer, took place on February 12, 1948, during a live broadcast of the radio program “Bride and Groom.”
Since they couldn’t even afford to pay for their own wedding, they agreed to get married on the program when the producer contacted them with the proposal of paying for the ceremony. The same kind of producer also covered the cost of their romantic getaway.
Before Van Dyke’s successful career began, they were also unable to purchase a home and were forced to live in their vehicle for a period. The couple had addiction issues while they were married.
She had a prescription medication addiction, and her spouse had an alcohol addiction. They received therapy at the same inpatient rehab facility. Margie Willett preferred to live a private life while being married to an actor from Hollywood.