Meet Kimberly Woolen, Glen Campbell’s Ex-wife

Kimberly Woolen is the wife of Glen Campbell, the late country musician. Glen and his wife Kimberly Woolen met on a blind date and were married for 34 years between 1982 and 2017

Kimberly Woolen is also a sublime former professional dancer and author in her own right

Since her husband died almost five years ago, many things have been said and written about the widow of one of the most famous country musicians of all time. Some have been critical and some favorable, but what is so special about Glen Campbell’s fourth wife, Kimberly Woolen. Let’s find out.

Kimberly Woolen is a Product Of Divorced Parents

Kimberly Woolen was born on April 3, 1959, under the sun sign of Aries, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The former professional dancer’s birth parents are currently unknown, but Kim’s photos show that she is of the white caucasian ethnic background. Her birthplace also grants her the status of an American citizen.

She grew up in Newport, North Carolina, after her parents’ divorce, but no records can prove the existence of any other family member apart from Kimberly and her parents. Most of her formal education details are also not public knowledge, but some sources say she graduated from high school in 1977 before going on to get a college education at the University of East Carolina, Greenville, where she studied dance.

She Met Glen Campbell On A Blind Date

Kimberly Woolen met her late husband for the first time after being convinced to go on a blind date by a mutual friend of the pair. On the other hand, Glen Campbell practically had no interest in going on such a date, considering that he had been divorced three times already at the time of this proposed blind date.

Glen was already a thriving country musician, and this date had been set up by his banjo player, Carl Jackson. However, he didn’t want to upset his pal and only went to humor him. Kimberly was completely unaware that her date was with a celebrity. This oblivion made the date go smoothly as Glen was thoroughly impressed by the woman he met.

Firstly, Kimberly was completely herself and not overawed because he was already a celebrity musician. Kimberly would later reveal that for her, and it had not been anything but a date – like she had gone on several times. However, her first impression of Glen Campbell was of someone who was completely unlike any man she had met.

She had used the word ‘special’ to describe his personality. Their first date was a dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria with Glen’s parents, and it was an experience that they both enjoyed immensely. They began dating officially in 1981 and carried on exclusively for around one year.

Kimberly Woolen’s Marriage To Glen Campbell At The Age Of 23 Was Her First Attempt

Almost one year after they began dating, Glen asked Kimberly to be his wife, and the talented former dancer had seen enough to convince her that he would make an excellent husband. The wedding event took place in October 1982, after they started dating. It was celebrated in front of 100 persons, including family and friends, at the North Phoenix Baptist Church, Arizona, USA.

Kimberly Woolen had just turned 23 years old, and for her, the marriage was the first. However, it was not the case with Glen Campbell, who had been through similar scenarios three times already. Kimberly was Glen’s fourth wife since he turned 17 years old.

Glen Campbell Was 23 Years Older Than Kimberly And Has Been Married Three Times

The first time Glen saw a woman walk down the aisle to become his wife was in 1954 when he married a woman named Diane Kirk. The marriage was relatively short-lived, only lasting for five years. The ink wasn’t yet dry on Glen’s first divorce papers before he proceeded to marry his second wife the same year he divorced Diane Kirk.

He was only 22 years old, and this time he chose to marry a hairdresser from New Mexico named Billie Jean Nunley. The late country musician’s second marriage lasted longer than his first but ultimately ended after sixteen years.

Glen appeared not to be satisfied with the institution of marriage, and his third marriage was to another country singer, Mac Davis’ ex-wife, Sarah Barg Davis. It is unclear how long this particular marriage lasted, but it was not as long as Glen’s second marriage when you consider how old he was when he got a divorce from his second wife and how old he was when he married Kimberly.

In stark contrast to Glen’s previous three marriages, his marriage to Kimberly lasted 35 years before his unfortunate death in 2017. As previously mentioned, Kimberly was 23 years old when she married the late country musician. Still, one important nugget for netizens to note is that Kimberly had married a man who was practically twice her age. Glen Campbell was almost 46 years old when he wed Kimberly.

It wasn’t common for such a thing to happen in the 80s, and there were understandable concerns about the age difference between the couple. Still, it was a concern that didn’t faze Kim and Glen, who were both determined to make their marriage work.

Kimberly Woolen Had Three Children With Glen Campbell

After the dust over their seemingly robust age difference had settled, Kimberly and her husband, Glen, settled down to build a home together, and it didn’t take long for their family to grow. A year after their wedding, Kimberly became a mother when her first child arrived in 1983. Her first offspring with her late husband was a son named Cal Campbell.

Two years later, the family of three would become four when their first daughter, Shannon Campbell, arrived in 1985. Right on the heels of Shannon came another daughter, Ashley Campbell, in 1986. It appears that all three children followed in the footsteps of their father as country musicians.

Kimberly Woolen Lost Her Husband Glen in 2017

On August 8, 2017, Kimberly Woolen experienced one of the biggest tragedies that can happen to a married woman. This date will forever symbolize the date that not just Kimberly, but the world in general, would say goodbye to a country music legend. Glen Campbell’s death preceded a protracted battle with one of the most debilitating illnesses known to mankind, Alzheimer’s disease.

He first started experiencing signs of the illness in 2009 when he was 73 years old. It steadily grew worse before an official diagnosis a couple of years later, in 2011, confirmed that the singer had Alzheimer’s disease. Kimberly did her best to ensure her husband’s comfort even though this tragic news had profoundly affected her.

By 2014, Glen’s doctors advised that he was at a stage where he needed round-the-clock care. Kimberly agreed to that suggestion, which prompted a backlash from her husband’s fans, who felt that the former dancer was abandoning her husband in his greatest hour of need.

To placate the critics, Kimberly issued a statement pointing out the reasons behind her actions, including that it was both the doctor’s and the family’s decision – and not hers. As stated earlier, Glen died in August 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee, and was buried at a cemetery owned by the Campbell family in Billstown, Arkansas.

Kimberly was a Professional Dancer and Author

It is well-documented that Kimberly Wollen was a talented dancer whose talent was apparent even from a very young age. Everyone who saw her dance always remarked on how incredibly good she was. She would get the chance to showcase her skills professionally, after her time in college and after her move to New York City, with New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

Her performance at Music Hall gave her the platform to be included in Jones Beach Production’s The Music Man. After her marriage to Glen, she stopped dancing professionally but resumed – though not professional – three years after his death.

She is also a published author after she wrote a book that essentially describes the life of Glen Campbell, including his early life family struggles with poverty and her marriage to the late country music legend titled Gentle On My Mind: In Sickness And In Health With Glen Campbell. 

Kimberly Woolen’s Net Worth Is Unknown

The former dancer has not revealed the actual figure of her net worth, but when her late husband’s sum is put in play, she is worth quite a lot. For starters, the late singer was worth $50 million at the time of his death.

Also, when you consider that she inherited most of her late husband’s estate alongside his children, it all sums up the fact that she is very financially comfortable. Kimberly Woolen continues to inspire many people, especially women, with her resilience and inspirational stories of her ordeal during and after the death of her late husband.

Key Takeaways

1. Meeting Glen Campbell: Kimberly Woolen first met Glen Campbell, the famous country singer, on a blind date. This took place in New York City and was orchestrated by Campbell’s banjoist, Carl Jackson. Their first date consisted of dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria with Campbell’s parents and a James Taylor concert.
2. Background as a Dancer: Kimberly was born on April 3, 1959, in Indianapolis, Indiana but raised in Newport, North Carolina. She was a dancer before marrying Campbell, having performed at New York’s Radio City Music Hall and on Jones Beach production’s The Music Man. She also studied dance at East Carolina University in Greenville.
3. Familiarity with Campbell’s Music: Kimberly confessed that she was not familiar with Campbell’s music when they first met, even though she knew his greatest hits. Their dating period began in fall 1981.
4. Campbell’s Fourth Wife: Before Kimberly, Glen Campbell had three previous marriages: to Diane Kirk, Billie Jean Nunley, and Sarah Barg Davis. All of these marriages ended in divorce. He also had a famous relationship with country singer Tanya Tucker. Kimberly, however, proved to be his lasting love, with their marriage continuing until Campbell’s death in 2017.
5. Motherhood: Kimberly and Glen Campbell have three children together: Cal Campbell, born in 1983, Sharon Campbell, born in 1985, and Ashley Campbell, born in 1986. All of them have followed in their father’s footsteps to become musicians.
6. Social Movement for Caregivers: After Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011, Kimberly launched a blog, careliving.org, to inspire and empower caregivers. This came about due to the commonality of her situation: a spouse losing their memory to dementia.
7. Authorship: Kimberly documented her life with Campbell in a book titled “Gentle On My Mind: In Sickness and in Health with Glen Campbell.” This work details Campbell’s struggle with alcoholism and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the joyful moments they had raising their three children.
8. Moving On After Loss: After Campbell’s death in 2017, Kimberly resumed her passion for dancing and began taking ballet classes at Nashville Ballet. She also intends to introduce dance programs to assisted living communities, offering a form of expression and movement for the residents.
9. Personal Details: Kimberly Woolen stands 5 ft 5 inches tall and weighs 56 kg. She was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, but spent much of her upbringing in North Carolina after her parents separated. She married Glen Campbell when she was 23 years old.