Eartha Kitt’s Ex-husband, John William McDonald was a veteran of the Korean War and a businessman. The pair got married in 1960 but divorced a few weeks after their 3rd anniversary. Their union birthed a child named Kitt McDonald.
Even though it has been several decades since the pair parted ways, curiosity is still drawn to all that happened in their marriage. This is so because John’s ex-wife Eartha was a famous singer and actress and her legacy still lives on. Here’s all to know.
Meet Eartha Kitt’s Ex-husband, John William McDonald
The ex-husband of Eartha Kitt was born John Williams McDonald on April 12, 1923. From the records, he was raised by his parents in Los Angeles County, CA, United States.
While most information about his early life and family background is shrouded in mystery, we garnered that he was an American citizen of German-Irish descent.
John pursued a career in the force and was a veteran of the Korean War. It was during the war that he sustained a lot of injuries after a grenade explosion and he managed his wounds with opioids but later became addicted to the painkiller.
Eartha’s ex-husband was also a businessman working as an associate of a real estate company in the United States.
John William McDonald was Married to Eartha Kitt for 3 Years
John William McDonald and Eartha Kitt were married from June 9, 1960, to July 1, 1963. This means that their marriage lasted a little over 3 years. While it is difficult to establish how and when they fell in love, it’s recorded that their relationship started sometime in the 50s, and after a few years of committed friendship, they decided to exchange vows in 1960.
Their marriage ceremony was held and witnessed by a number of friends and family members. A year into their marriage, they birthed their only child Kitt McDonald. She was born on November 26, 1961.
The Pair Ended Their Marriage in 1963 Citing Mental Cruelty
According to a number of sources, John and Eartha may have divorced for varieties of reasons. Some of these include John’s addiction to opioids as a way of dealing with pains from the war injuries and the distance Eartha’s career as an entertainer exposed them to.
As you would find, Eartha was a singer and actress who captured the hearts of many with her singing style and was known for songs such as “C’est si bon” and “Santa Baby”. Since they were married at the time her career was at its peak, it wasn’t so easy to create a balance between being a wife and an entertainer.
Nonetheless, their divorce papers stated that they got divorced on the grounds of mental cruelty and Eartha won the case since her husband did not appear in court. He was ordered to pay a monthly support fee of $100 for their daughter who was only 2 years old at the time.
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What Happened to John William McDonald after the Divorce?
Eartha Kitt’s ex-husband, John Williams McDonald disappeared from the limelight after the divorce. He resolved to a very private life and it’s difficult to tell if he later remarried. It’s also not known if he was part of his daughter’s life.
John’s life went completely under the radar until 2005 when news of his death went viral. He was 82 years old at the time and was reportedly buried in Los Angeles, CA, United States.
On the other hand, his wife focused on raising her daughter Kitt as well as her career in the entertainment industry. Eartha toured several countries for her performances including New York, Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, and Japan. Her daughter revealed that her mother took her everywhere she was performing and made her internationally famous.
Unfortunately, Eartha died at her US home on December 25, 2008, at the age of 81 after battling colon cancer. Her daughter revealed that the doctors got to a point where nothing could be done anymore and also recalled how her mother screamed at the top lungs and finally gave up.
Eartha’s daughter, Kitt has since set up a business called Simply Eartha to keep her memories alive.
