Bill Russell's fourth wife, Jeannine Russell: Everything about her
Bill Russell left his footprint in the sand of time as a legendary American professional basketball player. He was a center for the Boston Celtics of the NBA between 1956 and 1969. During his 13-year career, he won 11 NBA championships, among other titles. But since his passing, many have wondered what has become of his fourth wife, Jeannine Russell.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Jeannine Russell's profile summary
- Is Jeannine the wife of Bill Russell?
- What is Jeannine Russell's age?
- Bill Russell and his wife's age difference
- Jeannine Russell's career
- How much is Jeannine Russell's net worth?
- When did Bill Russell marry Jeannine Russell?
- Who are Jeannine and Bill Russell's children?
- What does Bill Russell's daughter do?
- Bill's past marriages before his marriage with Jeannine
- Why did Bill Russell leave his first wife?
- Jeannine's speech about Bill's civil rights impacts
- Bill Russell's last words
- What is Jeannine Russell's height?
- Facts about Jeannine Russell
Bill Russell was always a champion of equality and often endured racism from fans during his playing days. In October 2024, Jeannine attended a ceremony where the City of Boston officially renamed the North Washington Street Bridge in his honor as a decorated NBA champion and civil rights icon who transcended sports. Read about their marriage below.
Jeannine Russell's profile summary
| Full name | Jeannine Russell-Brown |
| Nicknames | Jeannine Fiorito, Jeannine Maddux |
| Gender | Female |
| Birthdate | 31 January 1967 |
| Age | 57 years (as of January 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
| Birthplace | USA |
| Residence | Mercer Island, Washington, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height | 5'5" (167 cm) |
| Weight | 127 lbs. (58 kg) |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Hair color | Dark Brown |
| Marital status | Widow |
| Partner | Bill Russell (late) |
| Alma mater | State University |
| Profession | Golfer |
Is Jeannine the wife of Bill Russell?
Jeannine was Bill Russell's fourth and final wife. Born William Felton Russell on 12 February 1934, the Boston Celtics legend passed away on 31 July 2022 at his home in Mercer Island, Washington, at the age of 88.
Until his death, the couple shared good memories and had fun while hanging out. Jeannine supports the Boston Celtics and keeps her husband's legacy alive in various ways.
For instance, she nearly broke the internet in June 2024 when she Tweeted, “LET'S GO CELTICS!!” from her husband's account, @RealBillRussell, and generated more than nine million impressions.
The overwhelming reactions to her post touched Bill Russell's spouse. Before this, she had celebrated his 90th birthday by selling a limited edition of his birthday shirts.
Source: Original
What is Jeannine Russell's age?
Born on 31 January 1967 in America, Bill Russell's spouse is 57 as of January 2025.
Bill Russell and his wife's age difference
The couple had an age difference of around 33 years. Bill was 82, and she was 49 when they got married in 2016. Nonetheless, their marriage showcased love and mutual respect that transcended numbers.
While age differences in relationships can often lead to speculation and curiosity, their story was a testament to the idea that love knows no bounds.
Jeannine Russell's career
Jeannine was a professional golf player with an impressive record. In 2009, she ranked fifteenth at the Canadian Women's Tour in Seymour.
A year later, in 2010, Bill Russell's spouse came 64th on the Canadian Women's Tour in British Columbia and 19th on the one in Ontario. That same year, she bagged the Player Of The Year title.
How much is Jeannine Russell's net worth?
Jeannine's net worth is private knowledge, but she enjoys a comfortable lifestyle. Her late husband, Bill Russell, was worth around $10 million at his death.
When did Bill Russell marry Jeannine Russell?
They married on 8 December 2016 and renewed their vows on 24 December 2020. On 28 January 2021, Russell shared a throwback picture of themselves renewing their vows on Instagram.
He even accompanied the image with a caption:
Happy 1 year vow renewal #Anniversary to my wonderful wife. We realized today we were married on the 8th, and renewed our vows on the 24th. The #Kobe connection goes deep.
Who are Jeannine and Bill Russell's children?
Jeannine and Bill Russell had no children together, but Bill had three children: Karen (born on 20 January 1962), William Jr. (born on 2 November 1957), and Jacob (born on 6 July 1959), from his first marriage to Rose Swisher.
What does Bill Russell's daughter do?
While his sons, William Jr. and Jacob, maintain a low profile, his daughter Karen is a legal and political analyst. She graduated from Georgetown University and Harvard Law School.
Source: UGC
Bill's past marriages before his marriage with Jeannine
Bill and Jeannine's first meeting has yet to be confirmed, but had been married thrice before marrying Jeannine. In 1956, he married his high school sweetheart, Rose Swisher. The couple went their separate ways after divorcing in 1973.
Four years after his first divorce, Russell married Dorothy Anstett in 1977. She was the 1968 Miss USA winner. In 1980, the beauty queen divorced the basketball legend.
Sixteen years later, Bill married his third wife, Marilyn Nault, in 1996. Their marriage was cut short when Marilyn passed away from cancer in 2009. It took a while for Russell to recover, but he eventually married his fourth wife, Jeannine, in 2016.
Why did Bill Russell leave his first wife?
After being together for about 20 years, Bill divorced his college sweetheart, Rose Swisher, in 1973 due to emotional differences. Their marriage was also Bill's longest marriage.
Jeannine's speech about Bill's civil rights impacts
Jeannine was brought to tears as she spoke about her late husband's civil rights impacts when the City of Boston officially renamed the North Washington Street Bridge in Russell's honor. She said;
He used his platform to challenge injustice and inequality. So, in this way, he literally and figuratively was a bridge for civil rights. He spoke out when silence would have been easier. He stood up to injustice when he had something to lose. He marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and never stopped pushing for a better, fairer world.
Despite being a prominent civil rights activist, Bill faced many challenges. For instance, some Boston fans did not always warm up to him like his white teammates, and he sometimes had to stay in a different hotel than the rest of the team.
Nevertheless, he showed deep personal strength and dignity in the face of racism. For this reason, the City of Boston renamed the North Washington Street Bridge as it unites people as he did.
The bridge was renamed "A Bridge for Civil Rights" and is currently under construction and should be finished by April 2025.
Bill Russell's last words
Russell was also the first black head coach in NBA history and his last words while giving coaching advice were:
When you get old, don’t fall. Because that’s the start of the end. So remember: Don’t fall!
Source: UGC
What is Jeannine Russell's height?
Jeannine is approximately 5'5" (equivalent to 167 centimeters) tall.
Facts about Jeannine Russell
- She was Bill Russell's fourth and final wife.
- She was around 33 years younger than Russell.
- She supports the Boston Celtics.
- She keeps Russell's legacy alive.
- She runs Russell's account on X (formerly Twitter).
- She never had children with Russell.
Jeannine Russell's relationship with iconic basketball figure Bill has been a testament to love, commitment, and resilience. Together, they built a solid and enduring partnership. While her husband is late, she maintains a low profile away from public scrutiny.
Jeannine Russell's relationship with iconic basketball figure Bill has been a testament to love, commitment, and resilience. Together, they built a solid and enduring partnership. While her husband is late, she maintains a low profile, avoiding public scrutiny.
Briefly.co.za published the untold story of Michael Tell, Patty Duke's ex-husband. Patty Duke was a renowned American actress and mental health advocate, famous for her iconic portrayal of Helen Keller in the 1962 film, The Miracle Worker.
Though her marriage to Michael Tell was fascinating and full of twists and turns, it was short-lived. The lovebirds were married for 13 days. They married on 26 June 1970 at the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas, but the marriage was annulled on 9 July 1970. The post discusses the details of the wedding.
Source: Briefly News
Favour Adeaga (Lifestyle writer) Dr. Favour Adeaga is an author, speaker, and coach. He graduated with a degree in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria. He did his internship at The Nation Newspaper and taught diploma students in Newspaper and Magazine courses at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He has curated the facts and life hacks category since 2018. Dr Favour is the author of several books available on Amazon. He currently lives in Nigeria. Email: favouradeaga@gmail.com
Peris Walubengo (Lifestyle writer) Peris Walubengo is a content creator with 5 years of experience writing articles, researching, editing, and proofreading. She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Briefly.co.za in November 2019. The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course. She covers bios, marketing & finance, tech, fashion & beauty, recipes, movies & gaming reviews, culture & travel. You can email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.
