Ginnie Newhart, Wife of Bob Newhart, Dead At Age 82 After Battling ‘Long Illness’

Ginnie Newhart, the wife of legendary comedian Bob Newhart, has died at 82.

Her publicist, Jerry Digney, confirmed her passing to Access Hollywood on Monday with a statement saying she died on April 23 after battling a “long illness.”

Her husband also shared a statement on Twitter that reads, “We lost our beloved Ginnie Quinn Newhart – Wife, Mother and Grandmother on April 23rd, 2023 after a long battle with illness. She was our rock and we miss her terribly.”

Her death comes three months after she celebrated her 60th wedding anniversary to Bob.

“In 1962, Ginnie met Bob on a blind date, set up by comedian Buddy Hackett,” Digney’s statement read in part, citing Bob’s recollection of their first meeting. “Newhart recalled, ‘Buddy said, ‘I’ve got a girl for you’. She’s going with another guy, but I don’t think he’s right for her, so I’m going to fix you up on a blind date. You’ll meet her and you’ll date and you’ll get married. Then you’ll have kids and you’ll call one of the kids Buddy.’ Which we did.’ The pair got married in 1963.”

During their 60 years of marriage, the two welcomed four children and credited the success of their long relationship to laughter.

“The marriages of comedians, no matter how stormy, seem to last a long time, and I attribute it to laughter,” Bob said in a 2022 interview with Parade. “No matter how intense the argument you’re having, you can find a line, and then you both look at each other and start laughing. It’s over, you know? I think that sense of humor is very important to the longevity of a marriage.”

Ginnie shared a similar sentiment during her 2005 interview with PBS.

“Comedians are just fun to be with. They seem to have longevity in their marriages,” she said.

Ginnie is survived by her four children, Rob, Tim, Jennifer and Courtney as well as her 10 grandchildren.

Per Digney’s statement, a funeral service will be held in the coming weeks.