The untold story of Kathy Ambush, Clarence Thomas's first wife
Kathy Ambush, now known as Kathy Smith, is the first wife of Clarence Thomas, a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. While Thomas is widely known for his powerful role in the American legal system, Kathy's story has mostly stayed out of the public eye.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Kathy Ambush is an American entrepreneur, community volunteer, and public relations professional.
- She was previously married to Clarence Thomas from 1971 to 1984.
- Kathy is the mother of Clarence Thomas' one and only son, Jamal Adeen Thomas.
- The former public relations specialist has maintained a relatively low profile.
Kathy Ambush's profile summary
| Full name | Kathy Grace Smith (Ambush) |
| Date of birth | 6 June 1950 |
| Age | 75 years (as of 2025) |
| Place of birth | Worcester, Massachusetts, United States |
| Current residence | Richmond, Virginia, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Father | Nelson William Ambush |
| Mother | Shigao Gladys Sato |
| Siblings | 6 |
| Marital status | Married |
| Husband | Douglas Allen Smith |
| Children | Jamal Adeen Thomas |
| High School | St. Peter-Marion Central Catholic High School |
| College | Broadcast Centre, St. Louis, MO, Anna Maria College |
| University | Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, former public relations professional |
| Net worth | $2 million |
Exploring Kathy Ambush's age and early life
The retired public relations professional was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, on 6 June 1950, making her 75 years old as of 2025. She is an American national of African-American heritage.
Kathy Ambush's parents are Nelson William Ambush and Shigao Gladys Sato. Her father, Nelson, worked as a dental technician in Worcester, Massachusetts. He passed away in 2012, aged 96. Kathy's mother died in 1984 at the age of 67.
Source: Original
Clarence Thomas' first wife grew up alongside four siblings named Benjamin, Reverend Stephen, June, and Karen Thande. She also has two half-siblings named Sydney Schuyler and Valerie Wilson, from her dad's second marriage to Mary Estelle.
Kathy Ambush's educational background
Kathy Grace attended Saint Peter-Marion Central Catholic High School before enrolling at Anna Maria College from 1968 to 1970 to study Sociology. She later attended Lincoln University in Missouri, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration between 1975 and 1977.
In 1978, she continued her education at the Broadcast Centre, training in radio broadcasting. She completed the course in 1979.
Source: Facebook
Career highlights
Kathy Smith has had a long and successful career helping people, organisations, and communities. According to her LinkedIn profile, she describes herself as:
An experienced public relations professional serving the nonprofit, corporate, political and education sectors as an executive administrator, fundraiser, grant writer, speech writer, program manager, event planner and community relations manager.
Kathy started her career in Washington, D.C., working as a communication specialist for the National Republican Congressional Committee. While there, she helped with radio communications and planned events for members of Congress. She held the position from July 1979 to May 1984.
Source: Getty Images
Kathy later served as Director of the Massachusetts Advanced Studies Program at Milton Academy from 1990 to 1994. Between 1998 and 2002, she worked at BankBoston as a Community Relations Specialist, where she planned events, wrote speeches, and worked with volunteer organisations.
She also served as an Assistant Director and Director of Development at The Immigrant Learning Centre, where she helped raise money and support free English classes for immigrants and refugees.
What does Kathy Ambush do now?
Today, Clarence Thomas' ex-wife is a popular entrepreneur. She mentors and coaches people, helping them succeed in life and business. She helps others reach their goals and live their best lives. On her LinkedIn page, she states:
Life is about reinventing oneself. I take great pleasure in mentoring ambitious people who want a coach to help them connect the dots to their Best Life!
Kathy Ambush and Clarence Thomas' relationship
Source: Getty Images
Kathy and Clarence Thomas were married for over a decade, from 1971 to 1984. The former couple met in college in the late 1960s and soon began dating. At the time, Clarence was studying at the College of the Holy Cross, and Kathy was a student at Anna Maria College, both in Massachusetts.
The two tied the knot on 5 June 1971 and had one son, Jamal Adeen Thomas. Kathy Ambush's son was born on 15 February 1973 in New Haven, Connecticut, New York, USA.
Jamal Adeen Thomas' parents separated in 1981 and officially divorced in 1984. Since then, Kathy has lived a private life, while Clarence Thomas went on to become a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Source: Facebook
Who is Kathy Ambush married to now?
After her divorce from Justice Clarence Thomas, Kathy Grace Smith married Douglas Allen Smith. As per Bennett Funeral Homes, Douglas passed away on 1 September 2023.
Douglas Allen Smith was a New York City native who worked in programming, software support, auto sales, and executive driving. He founded several businesses, including The Boston Auto Advocate and Sterling Transportation.
Source: Getty Images
What is Kathy Ambush's net worth?
According to Slidshare, Kathy Ambush, Jamal Thomas' mother, has an alleged net worth of $2 million. She has accumulated this wealth from her long career and entrepreneurial ventures.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Clarence Thomas' first wife?
Kathy Ambush divorced Clarence Thomas in 1984 and later remarried Douglas Allen Smith, until his death in late 2023.
How many marriages has Clarence Thomas had?
Source: Twitter
Clarence Thomas has been married twice. He first married Kathy Ambush from 1971 to 1984. In 1987, he married Virginia "Ginni" Lamp, a conservative political activist, and they remain married.
What does Clarence Thomas's son do?
As per his LinkedIn profile, Jamal Adeen Thomas currently serves as the Director of Supervision at John F. Van Der Hyde and Associates, a network office of Northwestern Mutual.
Kathy Ambush first came into the spotlight as Clarence Thomas' first wife. She and Clarence were married for over a decade before they separated in 1981 and officially divorced in 1984. Kathy has worked in nonprofit management, community relations, and entrepreneurship.
READ ALSO: Who is Srikanth Bolla's wife? All about Veera Swathi
Briefly.co.za recently published an article about Srikanth Bolla's wife, Veera Swathi. She has been a topic of global interest after he was named a judge in the newly premiered season 4 of Shark Tank India.
Swathi is Bolla's biggest cheerleader, and the duo has been married since April 2022. They welcomed a daughter, Nayana, born on 31 March 2024.
Source: Briefly News
