Marguerite Whitley is the first wife of former football running back and broadcaster, O.J. Simpson. The former couple was married for over a decade before their marriage ended in divorce. Throughout their union, Whitley accused Simpson of domestic violence several times, although there was no record of violence when they divorced. Whitley and Simpson shared three children; tragically, one of them died at just one-year-old.
Since their divorce, Simpson’s ex-wife has maintained a notably low profile regarding her life and whereabouts. Even during the release of the documentary mini-series “O.J.: Made in America” in January 2016, there was no mention of her. Over the years, Marguerite has largely disappeared from the media spotlight.
But, today, we bring forth some of the latest information about Whitley, including her activeness on Facebook, her last known job at the supermarket chain, and two marriages after separating from O.J.
What Is Marguerite Whitley Up To These Days?
Marguerite is a former in-store educator and supervisor at Whole Foods Market, a prominent supermarket chain headquartered in Austin, Texas. She joined the company in 2003 and left the job after about 12 years in 2015.
Besides, Simpson’s ex-wife previously worked as a clerk at the Walmart retail store. She once also described herself as an interior designer.
However, given her recent low-profile lifestyle, there is no available record of her current profession.
Where Is Marguerite S. Whitley Now?
At present, Whitley resides in northwest Fresno, a city in California. Her daughter, Arnelle Simpson, also lives there.
The last known public appearance Marguerite made was in March 2018 near her home in Fresno. At that time, Whitley, who was dressed in a beige overcoat, brown slacks, and suede boots, was seen shopping. She previously owned a house on San Vicente Boulevard, in a neighborhood in the mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles.
Despite her low profile, the former celebrity spouse is also active on Facebook but hasn’t shared that much about herself on her profile.
Whitley Is a San Francisco Native
She was born on 20th March 1949, in San Francisco, California. However, the details about her parents are still unavailable. For her ethnicity, Marguerite is an African-American and is American by nationality.
She went to the Galileo High School, now Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, the same school her ex-husband, Simpson, also graduated from. Her Facebook profile suggests Whitley also went to George Washington High School, in San Francisco.
Following high school, Marguerite reportedly graduated from the University of Southern California.
Marguerite Whitley and O.J. Simpson Were High School Sweethearts
Whitley first met her future husband, Simpson, while both of them were students at Galileo High School. Interestingly, at that time, Marguerite was dating one of Simpson’s close friends, A.C. Cowlings, who ended up driving Simpson’s getaway car during the infamous police chase in 1994.
After some time, Marguerite broke up with Cowlings and began dating Simpson. Although Cowlings wasn’t that happy with their budding romance, the three eventually built a great relationship together.
They Married When Both Were Under 20
Whitley and Simpson got married on 24th July 1967. Their private wedding ceremony was held in their hometown, San Francisco.
At the time, Marguerite was 18, whereas O.J. was 19. After Simpson began playing for the Buffalo Bills in 1969, they started living in Amherst, a suburb of Buffalo.
Back in 1995, Whitley talked about her wedding in a 20/20 interview with Barbara Walters. She said,
We were such kids, it was fun. We didn’t have to answer to our parents anymore. We could party and stay out all night. It wasn’t a crazy wildness.
Besides, in October 1975, in a brief talk with People, Whitley remembered that her teenage sweetheart Simpson “was really an awful person then.”
Marguerite Had Three Kids With Her Ex-Husband O.J. Simpson
Whitley was the mother of three children with Simpson. The two welcomed their first child, Arnelle Simpson, on December 4th, 1968. Their second child, a son, Jason Simpson, was born on April 21st, 1970. For the third time, they welcomed their daughter, Aaren Simpson, on September 24th, 1977.
While two of their kids, Arnelle and Jason, are thriving in their lives, Aaren is no longer with us.
Aaren Died After Falling Into The Swimming Pool
In August 1979, Aaren, who was just 23 months old, was found unconscious in a family pool. It was her mother Marguerite who pulled her from the swimming pool.
She died at UCLA Medical Center eight days after the incident. A private funeral service was limited only to family members.
Marguerite Whitley and O.J. Simpson’s Divorce
The marriage between Marguerite and Simpson started having problems early on, with temporary separations beginning in the early 1970s. The first time, Mrs. Simpson asked her lawyer to start divorce proceedings was in 1973. However, they didn’t proceed at that time.
During their rocky marriage, Whitley accused her former hubby of several domestic violence and also claimed Simpson had cheated on her with other women.
Not only Marguerite but Simpson also accused his first wife of threatening him with physical force after they moved to California in 1977. According to court documents, on June 30, 1980, a year after their divorce, Whitley declined to vacate their Brentwood residence and “threatened him with physical harm, defamation, and to involve law enforcement.”
Despite this, there was no record of violence when their divorce became final in 1979. The lawyer, Harry F. Fain, said,
You don’t find anything that was comparable in any way to what we now know happened later. There’s nothing in the record, and nothing at all ever came to my attention. He was just a jovial happy man. He was as normal as anybody.
Reason For Their Divorce
Mr. Fain said the marriage fell apart after Simpson became popular in the media. He stated,
“She lent an element of stability to him — mother, homemaker, things like that. Then he becomes a celebrity and the marriage begins to fail.
Disagreement Regarding The Financial Settlement
After their divorce, Whitley accused Simpson of neglecting his financial responsibilities. In 1981, Mr. Simpson’s first wife sued Simpson for failing to pay the $26,000 owed to Marguerite as part of the divorce settlement.
However, the issue was resolved when O.J. began paying her $1,500 a month in child support.
Mr. Simpson Married His Second Wife Nicole Brown in 1985
When Marguerite and her husband Simpson were still married, the former NFL star met his second wife, Nicole Brown, in an LA hotel. They soon began dating and married on February 2nd, 1985. They also had two children, Sydney Brooke Simpson (b. 1985) and Justin Ryan Simpson (b. 1988).
After being in a marital relationship for about seven years in December 1992, Brown filed for divorce. Two years later, on June 12th, 1994, Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death outside her condo in the Brentwood neighborhood.
Subsequently, Simpson was arrested for his alleged involvement in the brutal murder.
Marguerite Stood by O.J. Simpson Throughout His 1995 Trial
After numerous trials, Simpson was acquitted of both murder charges. Throughout his 1995 murder trial, his first wife, Marguerite, stood by his side. Despite her readiness to testify for the defense, Whitley was never called upon by either Simpson’s legal team or the prosecution.
Whitley Married Twice After Her Divorce From Simpson
After her divorce from Simpson, Whitley went on to marry a guy named Rudolph Lewis on July 9, 1986. Like her first marriage, it also dissolved on April 3, 1991, in Los Angeles. Her second husband, Rudolph, was a transit supervisor.
For the third time, Marguerite tied the knot with Anthony Thomas on April 3, 1992. He was a furniture sales representative.
However, there is no news yet on whether they are still married.
FAQ About Marguerite Whitley
- Marguerite, and her children, Arnelle and Jason, once appeared with their father O.J. in ads for Foster Grant sunglasses and RC Cola.
- She has an estimated net worth of $1 million.
- Whitley now lives in California.
- Her age is 75 as of 2024.
