Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Margaret (Marge) Cooney |
| Also referenced as | Margaret Mary Cooney |
| Known for | First wife of broadcaster Phil Donahue; mother of their five children |
| Marriage | Phil Donahue (m. 1958; div. 1975) |
| Children | Michael, Kevin, Daniel, Mary Rose, James (deceased 2014) |
| Residences mentioned in public accounts | Midwest U.S.; later New Mexico |
| Occupation (publicly described) | Not publicly documented; lived largely outside public view |
| Later life | Described in published accounts as having remarried and maintaining a private life |
| Public social media | No confirmed official accounts |
Early Life and Marriage (1950s)
Public accounts place Margaret (Marge) Cooney alongside Phil Donahue at the start of his climb in American broadcasting. The two married in 1958, a year that marked both the beginning of Donahue’s early professional momentum and the start of a family that would soon include five children. The couple’s life unfolded in the Midwest as Phil’s work shifted from reporting to the talk-show format that would carry his name nationwide.
In that era, the demands of television were relentless and, often, invisible to families except in their effects: relocations, long hours, and a growing orbit of public attention. Through the late 1950s and 1960s, Marge navigated these practical realities while raising a growing household, a role that rarely creates headlines yet shapes the daily story more than any broadcast ever could.
A Family of Five
The Cooney–Donahue family grew quickly, and each child’s path reflects a blend of privacy and selective visibility.
- Michael Donahue — The eldest son, publicly referenced in profiles of the family; associated mentions tie him to media-adjacent work.
- Kevin Donahue — A son whose name appears in family features; some public mentions highlight athletic interests.
- Daniel (Dan) Donahue — A son who maintains a low public profile beyond his inclusion in family listings.
- Mary Rose Donahue — The daughter, publicly described as the child who remained with her mother after the divorce.
- James (Jim) Donahue — The youngest son, publicly reported to have died in 2014 from a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
Family Snapshot
| Name | Relationship to Marge Cooney | Notable Public Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Phil Donahue | Ex-husband | Married 1958; divorced 1975; pioneering talk-show host |
| Michael Donahue | Son | Mentioned in family profiles; media-adjacent references |
| Kevin Donahue | Son | Mentioned in family features; athletic interests noted in lifestyle pieces |
| Daniel (Dan) Donahue | Son | Listed among the five children; low public profile |
| Mary Rose Donahue | Daughter | Lived with Marge after the divorce per published accounts |
| James (Jim) Donahue | Son (deceased) | Died in 2014; cause publicly reported as ruptured aortic aneurysm |
| Marlo Thomas | Phil Donahue’s later spouse | Married Phil in 1980; became stepmother to the children |
Separation and New Paths (1975 and After)
In 1975, Marge Cooney and Phil Donahue divorced. Public accounts frequently note a specific family arrangement after the separation: Phil retained custody of the four sons, while Marge retained custody of their daughter, Mary Rose. Accounts also say that Marge returned to New Mexico and remarried, stepping away from public life and the spotlight that would follow Phil through the height of his television influence.
This period is where the public record thins. She is described less as a figure in a celebrity narrative and more as a person choosing privacy, community, and family outside of publicity’s reach. The texture of her daily life after the mid-1970s remains largely her own.
Public Mentions, Media, and What’s Documented
Marge Cooney’s name surfaces most often in retrospectives about Phil Donahue—brief passages summarizing a marriage, five children, and a parting of ways. She does not appear to have pursued public-facing work or media projects in her own right, and there are no verified public social media accounts tied to her.
From time to time, video features and interviews about Phil Donahue’s life refer to his first marriage, offering context rather than detail. The core facts stay consistent across public references: a 1958 marriage, a 1975 divorce, five children raised across two households, and a mother who chose a life beyond public scrutiny.
Timeline of Noted Events
- 1958 — Marriage of Margaret (Marge) Cooney and Phil Donahue.
- Late 1950s–1960s — Birth of five children: Michael, Kevin, Daniel, Mary Rose, and James.
- 1975 — Divorce. Published accounts state that the four sons lived with Phil; Mary Rose lived with Marge. Accounts say Marge returned to New Mexico and remarried.
- 1980 — Phil Donahue marries Marlo Thomas; the blended family dynamic becomes a frequent topic in features about his life and work.
- 2014 — Death of the youngest son, James (Jim) Donahue, publicly reported as a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
- 2014–present — Mentions of Marge Cooney appear mainly in family summaries and retrospectives regarding Phil Donahue; she remains a private figure.
What Is Publicly Known—and What Isn’t
Some aspects of Marge Cooney’s life are well-established in public record: her marriage to Phil Donahue, their five children, the 1975 divorce, and the later life path in which she is described as returning to New Mexico and remarrying. Other details are notably opaque by design or default—formal career titles, detailed biographical data, and any verified public obituary are not broadly documented in authoritative, widely accessible public sources.
This split—between what is widely repeated and what remains undocumented—makes her story feel like a photograph taken in low light: the outlines are clear, the subject distinct, but the finer details intentionally left to the private album.
Household and Custody Notes
The family’s arrangement after the divorce appears consistently across public summaries: four sons with Phil Donahue, and Mary Rose with Marge. This arrangement shaped two parallel home bases—one aligned with the demands of national television, another aligned with a return to a quieter cadence in New Mexico.
A Private Life in an Era of Public Personas
The late 20th century saw the rise of the media personality as a constant presence in American homes. In that current, Marge Cooney became the counterpoint—someone whose name remained present in the public record but whose personal story stayed offstage. She appears in the margins of a major media biography not as an afterthought, but as a foundational figure whose choice of privacy acts like a lighthouse just out of frame: guiding, steadfast, and intentionally distant from the surf of public life.
FAQ
Who is Marge Cooney?
She is best known as the first wife of broadcaster Phil Donahue and the mother of their five children.
When did she marry Phil Donahue?
They married in 1958.
When did they divorce?
They divorced in 1975.
How many children did they have?
Five: Michael, Kevin, Daniel, Mary Rose, and James.
Which child predeceased her?
James (Jim) Donahue died in 2014 from a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
Where did she live after the divorce?
Published accounts state she returned to New Mexico.
Did she remarry?
Accounts describe her as having remarried after the divorce.
Did she have a public career?
No widely documented public-facing career is associated with her; she is described as having lived privately.
Does she have verified social media?
No verified public social media accounts are attributed to her.
Are there authoritative, detailed biographies about her?
Only brief summaries appear in public sources, primarily within profiles and retrospectives about Phil Donahue.
