It has been over seven decades since Jim Thorpe, an American athlete and Olympic gold Medalist, passed away. He has often been referred to as “probably the greatest natural athlete the world has seen in modern times.”
In addition to being one of the greatest natural athletes, Thorpe was also a loving husband and a proud father of eight children. He passed away in 1953.
Highlights
- Jim Thorpe was married three times and divorced twice. Iva Margaret Miller, Freeda V. Kirkpatrick, and Patricia Askew were three of his wives.
- Thorpe had eight children with his first two wives: four with his first wife, four with his second wife, and no kids with his third wife.
- His first wife, second wife, and son Bill Thorpe have also passed away.
Jim Thorpe was born on 28 May 1888, near Prague, Oklahoma. He was a Sac and Fox Nation member and had a mix of Native American and European heritage.
Thorpe excelled in many sports, including football, baseball, and track and field.
One of his biggest achievements was winning two gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.
He was also a professional football and baseball player, and he became the first president of what is now the NFL.
Despite facing many challenges, including the controversial loss of his Olympic medals (which were later restored), Thorpe’s legacy as one of the greatest athletes of all time remains strong. He passed away on 28 March 1953.
Jim Thorpe Had Eight Children In Total, With His First Two Wives
As mentioned, Jim Thorpe was married thrice and divorced twice. His first marriage was with Iva M. Miller in 1913.
The late athlete and his first wife met at Carlisle and fell in love. The former couple reportedly bought a house in Yale, Oklahoma, in 1917 and lived in it until 1923. The house is now a museum and is famous as the Jim Thorpe House.
#NAHM24 Post 23 honors the incredible achievements of Jim Thorpe, one of the greatest athletes in history. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe excelled in multiple sports, earning Olympic gold medals in both the decathlon and pentathlon in 1912. #NAHM pic.twitter.com/gB9OnfVOqW
— Dr. Kenneth L. Bowen (@DrKLBowen) November 24, 2024
Thorpe and Miller welcomed four children: Gail Margaret (born in 1917), James (born in 1918), Charlotte Marie (born in 1919), and Grace Frances (born in 1921).
Iva and Jim parted ways in 1925 after Iva filed for divorce, claiming desertion. The Thorpe-Miller couple’s youngest child, Grace Frances, was a renowned environmentalist and Native rights activist.
After parting ways with his first spouse, Jim Thorpe married his second wife, Freeda Verona Kirkpatrick, in 1926. At the time, Kirkpatrick was working for the manager of the baseball team for which Jim was playing.
The Thorpe-Kirkpatrick couple also had four children (all sons), Phillip, William, Richard, and John Thorpe. The legendary athlete was married to his second spouse for fifteen years.
They divorced each other in 1941. After that, Jim met his third wife, Patricia Gladys Askew, and walked down the aisle on 2 June 1945.
Jim shared eight years of marital life with his third and last wife. Patricia was by his side at the time of his passing on 28 March 1953.
Jim Thorpe’s Children And Wives Have Also Passed Away
Jim Thorpe’s first wife, Iva Miller, reportedly passed away on 26 August 1981.
Similarly, his second wife, with whom he was married the longest, passed away in March 2007 at a Yakima care center. She was 101 years old.
Jim Thorpe, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-sport professional athlete who paved the way for the indigenous community, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom today.#NativeAthlete #SacFox #Potawatomi #GOAThttps://t.co/o5bULUmffD pic.twitter.com/9IAPKWC8d0
— NDNSPORTS.COM (@ndnsports) May 4, 2024
Jim Thorpe’s daughter, Grace, passed away on 1 April 2008, at the age of 86, from complications following a heart attack. She is remembered for her military, legal, and activist legacy.
Furthermore, Thorpe’s son, Bill Thorpe, is also no longer in this world. He bid goodbye to the world on 4 July 2019.
Born on August 16, 1928, Bill was always extremely supportive of the museum and the college football award, both of which bear his father’s name.
Bill was survived by his brother, Richard Thorpe, and niece, Anita Thorpe. As for his other children, there is not much information available.
Additional Information
- The legendary athlete’s net worth is reported to be $1 million, at the time of his passing.
- Although he is usually considered to be Sac and Fox, Jim Thorpe had Potawatomi, Menominee, and Kickapoo, as well as Irish and French, ancestry.
- The finalists for several major college football awards were announced on Tuesday, and many were surprised that Colorado’s Travis Hunter wasn’t a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders was upset that his star player wasn’t included.
