Ray Krok of McDonald’s fame was married and divorced 3 times.
His first wife was Ethel Fleming, the woman Laura Dern played in The Founder. Ethel had a successful movie career as an actress that lasted into the 1920s although she made her first film in 1916. She married Ray Krok in 1922 and they had a daughter named Marilyn. Ray was 12 years older than Ethel. She died in 1965 of natural causes one day after her 75th birthday. She divorced Ray in 1961. She had a marriage previous to her marriage to Ray Krok. Marilyn died in 1973.
Ray’s 2nd wife was Jane Dobbins Green. She had been his secretary and they married in 1967 for five years, divorcing in 1969. She was not portrayed in The Founder at all. She and Ray had no children.
Ray’s 3rd wife was Joan. Mostly known as Joni, she was the inheritor of his vast fortune. She left 1.5 billion dollars to the Salvation Army in her will. She was 28 when she married Ray, who was enchanted by her beauty. She played the organ in a restaurant, not the piano as did the actress in The Founder. They were married from 1969 until 1984. When they married, she was divorced from a man named Rollie. They had married in 1945. She stayed with Rollie Smith for 8 years before deciding to divorce him, and Marilyn reportedly tried to keep her from divorcing him and marrying Ray Krok. Joan and Ray had a daughter named Linda. She is still living. Joan died of brain cancer in 2003. She was also 75, a notable coincidence when you consider that Ray’s first wife also died at 75.
Ruth & I basically spent the night in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, because we wanted to eat at Meltz. This is a very atypical restaurant for a diet-conscious town like this one. While downtown we learned about a museum devoted to the history of this unusual community that is closing soon. It will relocate close to city hall and the community library in a white house that has been moved here. We checked it out and really liked it. If all goes well, the new museum will open in 2024 and will be an asset to this lively community. Apparently the Krok money is running out and there will be nothing about them in the new facility when it opens unless there is a change of plans.
Hank
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