How did Van Dyke's wife, Margie Willett, die? Everything you ought to know

How did Van Dyke's wife, Margie Willett, die? Everything you ought to know

Margie Willett was an American celebrity best known for being the ex-wife of Dick Van Dyke. Dick is a legendary American comedian, actor, producer, singer, and writer whose Hollywood career spanned six decades. She was married and in a relationship with Dyke before he climbed to fame as an actor. What is Margie Willett's cause of death?

How old was Margie Willett when she died?
Dyke posed with his wife Margie Willett at the 39th Academy Awards show at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles on April 10, 1967. Photo by Rolls Press
Source: Getty Images

Even though Margie Willett and her ex-husband, Dick, had been divorced at the time of her death, Dick found it quite upsetting that she passed away. What caused their divorce?

Margie Willett's profile and bio

Full nameMargie Willett
Date of birth 1927
Age 81 years old (As of 2008)
Death date 2008
Place of birthDanville, Illinois, U.S.A.
Nationality America
EthnicityWhite
ReligionChristianity
Hair colour Black and Grey
Eye colour Brown
Height 5 feet 4 inches
Weight 55 kg (Approx)
Body measurements 34-32-36
Shoe size 6 U.S.
Gender Female
Sexual orientation Straight
Marital status Divorced
Ex-husband Dick Van Dyke
Children Christian, Barry, Stacy, and Carrie Beth
Famous asVan Dyke's wife

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How old was Margie Willett when she died?

Margie was born Marjorie Willett in 1927 in Danville, Illinois, United States. Sadly, she passed away in 2008 due to pancreatic cancer, so Margie Willett's age was 81 years at the time of her death. She grew up in Illinois, where she met Van Dyke.

margie willett's ex-spouse
Willett passed away in 2008 due to pancreatic cancer. Photo: @DYke (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Margie Willett's marriage

Margie met Van in her hometown Danville, Illinois, in 1947, way before Dyke became rich and famous. After dating for a month, they got engaged and moved to Los Angeles to get married. They tied the knot on February 12, 1948, during a live broadcast of an A.B.C. Radio show called Bride and Groom.

They were too broke to sponsor their wedding and agreed to marry on the show. The show's producer paid for their honeymoon as well.

After the honeymoon, they faced many financial challenges, as they could not afford a house. They had to live in their car for a while before Dyke's notable career started.

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Additionally, they both suffered from addiction. Margie was addicted to prescription drugs, while Van was an alcoholic. They sought treatment in the same rehabilitation centre, and their lives returned to normal.

Margie Willett's divorce

They were married for 36 years until their marriage failed due to infidelity. Dick was involved in an extramarital affair with his agent's secretary, Michelle Triola. They kept their romance private until Dick was overwhelmed with guilt and confessed everything to his wife in 1976. The couple separated for eight years before they finally dissolved their union on May 4, 1984.

After the divorce, Margie did not remarry, but Dick started a relationship with Michelle Triola Marvin. After Michelle's death, Dick married Arlene Silver.

Who are Margie Willett's children?

Margie and Dick share four children. She has two daughters, Stacy and Carrie, and two sons, Barry and Christian. Barry has followed in his father's footsteps and is a great actor.

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Who is Barry Van Dyke's wife?

Barry is an American actor and the second son of actor and entertainer Dick Van Dyke and Margie Willett. Barry is best known as Lieutenant Detective Steve Sloan on Diagnosis: Murder. In 1974, he married Mary Carey, and they share four children.

Margie Willett's height

Margie was almost 5 feet and 4 inches tall. She had a white complexion, a set of dark eyes, and hair that was a shade of light brown.

Facts about Margie Willett

  • She was fond of wearing long coats.
  • She was not on social media.
  • She was married to Dick Van for 36 years.
  • Margie was fond of keeping short hair and wearing white pearl necklaces.
  • She dumped her high school boyfriend to start a relationship with Van Dyke.
  • She succumbed to pancreatic cancer aged 81.

Margie Willett's ex-spouse

Dick Van Dyke, whose birth name is Richard Wayne Van Dyke, was born on December 13, 1925, in West Plains, Missouri, in the United States of America. He is an American actor, entertainer, and comedian.

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His award-winning career has spanned seven decades in film, television, and stage. Besides, Dick received multiple awards, including a Golden Globe, Grammy, a Daytime Emmy, and four Primetime Emmys.

margie willett's children
Dyke arrives at the 2017 AMD British Academy Britannia Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 27, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Axelle)
Source: UGC

Dick Van Dyke films and TV shows

  • 2023 Disney 100 Special Look
  • 2021 Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
  • 2018 The Great Buster: A Celebration
  • 2017 Wait for Your Laugh
  • 2016 Life Is Boring
  • 2014 Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
  • 2002 Diagnosis Murder: Town Without Pity
  • 2001 Walt: The Man Behind the Myth

What was Margie Willett's net worth?

Margie did not hold any profession when she was alive. She spent her life carrying the tag of being the wife of a legendary American actor, thus making it hard to tell her net worth. Her ex-husband, Dick Van, has a net worth of $50 million.

Above is everything you ought to know about Margie Willett, famously known as Dick Van Dyke's ex-wife. She succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2008. Willett was very private and did not reveal much about her life.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Bennett Yates avatar

Bennett Yates (Lifestyle writer) Bennett Yates is a content creator with over five years of working experience in journalism and copywriting. He graduated from the University of Nairobi (2017) with a Bachelor's in Information Technology. In 2023, Bennett finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. He started working for Briefly in 2019. You can reach him via email at bennetyates@gmail.com.

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