News

Life Stories 28/05/2025 11:31

Inside the Life of John Wayne’s Children After His Divorce: Melinda Wayne Shares Personal Memories

Discover the heartfelt story of John Wayne’s children after his divorce, as Melinda Wayne shares touching memories of their famous father, his humility, and the legacy behind the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

Many people are curious about how John Wayne’s children from his first marriage experienced life after their parents separated. Melinda Wayne, one of his children, offers a heartfelt glimpse into their relationship with their iconic father.

“My dad valued hard work. He made sure we all had chores to do,” Melinda recalled. “I was just 4 years old when my parents divorced. The four of us kids lived with our mother, his first wife, but we called Dad every night. He stayed very involved—checking our grades, teaching us responsibility, and guiding us to be good citizens. Whenever he was filming, we visited him on set wherever he was.”

During the filming of The Quiet Man in Ireland in 1951, John Wayne rented a large house so his children could stay with him. At that time, only his four children from the first marriage were present, though he later had three more with his third wife.

Melinda remembers arriving in Shannon, Ireland, at age 10. Her father warned her, “I know you’re going to want to buy gifts and take stuff home, but you’ve got to earn the money.” Her first thought was, “Oh my God, I have to get a job!”

The next morning, she woke at 6 a.m., walked a mile into town, and persuaded a man to hire her to sweep floors. When she returned, everyone was in a panic. “We thought you were kidnapped!” they exclaimed. Calmly sitting at the dining table, her father asked, “Nice of you to show up for breakfast. Where have you been?”

Tears streaming, she replied, “I went and got a job, like you said.”

He responded, “You what? I meant here! On the set! To be in the crowd scenes!”

Despite the misunderstanding, Melinda was determined to work. A few years later, at 14, she secured a job at Ohrbach’s department store.

Melinda also revealed that her father would likely have been embarrassed by the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, and the large statue there. “He never wanted to be president or have things named after him,” she said. “He knew he had to be famous to get his movies made, but he was actually very humble.”

In his final days, John Wayne shared a heartfelt message with Melinda’s late brother, Michael: “Whatever you do, use my name for the benefit of the public. If it weren’t for the public, I wouldn’t be here, you wouldn’t be here. We wouldn’t have had the life we had.”

This touching message inspired the creation of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, a legacy that continues to support cancer research and awareness today.

News in the same category

News Post

Email contact: [email protected]