Mary Marquardt: A Life of Grace and Strength
Mary Marquardt is the former illustrator and chef best known as Harrison Ford’s first wife. They met at Ripon College in Wisconsin, married in 1964, had two sons, Benjamin and Willard, and divorced in 1979. She has since lived a private life, and later lived with multiple sclerosis.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mary Marquardt |
| Born | 1945 (exact date not publicly confirmed) |
| Education | Ripon College, Wisconsin (attended, not “graduated”) |
| Known For | First wife of Harrison Ford, former illustrator and chef |
| Marriage | Harrison Ford 1964–1979 |
| Children | Benjamin Ford and Willard Ford |
| Current Status | Private life, not publicly confirmed beyond that |
Meeting Harrison Ford at Ripon College
Marquardt and Ford met at Ripon College in Wisconsin, where Ford was a drama student. Their college romance led to marriage in 1964; they reportedly married on 18 June 1964. As Ford pursued acting, Marquardt supported him during his early career, while also pursuing her own creative work as an illustrator and, later, as a chef.
Family
The couple had two sons, Benjamin and Willard. Their sons, Benjamin, reportedly born in 1966, and Willard, reportedly born in 1969, were raised as Ford’s career developed, and Benjamin later became a chef. After 15 years of marriage, Marquardt and Ford divorced in 1979.
Later Life and Multiple Sclerosis
Marquardt later lived with multiple sclerosis, though the date of her diagnosis is disputed across sources, with late 1980s given in some, around 2000/2001 in others, and mid-2000s in Men’s Journal in 2015, so no single year is given here. According to Men’s Journal in 2015, Ford and Calista Flockhart reportedly helped with her care and medical bills.
Post-divorce details about Marquardt are not publicly confirmed, and she has lived a private life beyond the facts set out above.
Amy Martin
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