Who is Frances Yarborough? All About Don Knotts’ Wife

Frances Yarborough (Born: 1927 – Dead: October 28, 2013) was a former administrative secretary for the American government and one-time actress best known as the third and last wife of Don Knotts, the late American actor and comedian.

Frances’s husband is fondly remembered for his portrayal of Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on the 1960s sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show. While many might be familiar with Don and his work, Frances Yarborough lived a very private life and stood by her husband till his death. Here’s more about her while she lived.

Frances Yarborough was Born in 1927

Born Francey Yarborough, Don Knotts’ wife was brought into the world in 1927 by her parents in Oconee County, Georgia, United States of America. The celebrity wife was born to her father, Cecil Yarborough, and mother, Emmie Tippets. She was of white ethnicity and was an American by nationality but her zodiac sign remained unknown as her exact date of birth is unavailable.

Frances had spent her childhood days in Georgia, which was also where she finished her schooling. Regarding her educational background, the schools she attended are not revealed to any source. Frances was not an only child as she has a sibling named Jean Yarborough whom she grew up with.

Frances Yarborough was a Part-Time Actress and Also a Government Secretary

Frances Yarborough’s professional life and career history are not available as she was a very private person and had not disclosed much about herself. According to reports, Frances had worked as a Government secretary in America. Besides that, she was also a part-time actress, although she was not featured in very many movies.

She did, however, make her only appearance in 1976’s The Electric Chair, playing the role of a jury member starring alongside other actors like Larry Parks, Katherine Cortez, Don Cummins, and Nita Patterson.

Yarborough was Christian by religion and became a member of Walhalla First Baptist Church. Other details about her professional life and work have yet to be revealed in the media. In all, Frances rose to fame not as a result of her career but because of her marriage to Don Knotts, who was very famous in his career field.

Frances Yarborough Became Don Knotts Wife in 2002

Francey Yarborough and Don Knotts had been friends for nearly two decades before getting married. They first met in the late 1980s, and Yarborough was in her twenties when they met while Don Knotts was in his sixties. Despite their obvious age difference, which many were concerned about, they formed a strong bond with each other and understood themselves.

The duo got acquainted with each other and shortly began dating, after which they decided to take their relationship to the next level by getting married. Frances Yarborough and Don Knotts got married in 2002 in a private ceremony that was attended by close family and friends. For all the years Frances and Don stayed married as husband and wife until his death, they did not have any children together.

She was the Third Wife of Don Knotts as The Actor Has Been Married Twice Before

Frances Yarborough was the third wife of her late husband, Don Knotts, as he had been married twice before meeting her. Don’s first marriage was to Kathryn Metz. Their wedding took place in 1947 and lasted for 17 years before they got divorced in 1964.

The couple had two children named Thomas Knotts (son) and Karen Knotts (daughter). Moving on from his divorce from Kathryn, he got married to Loralee Czuchna in 1974. Like his first marriage, the second marriage also ended after nine years of being together.

Frances and Don lived together until the time of his death. Don Knotts was diagnosed with severe hypochondria, cancer, and macular degeneration, which is a degenerative eye disease. His condition was kept secret from the media, co-workers, friends, and even his children.

Her Husband was a Famous American Actor and Comedian

Late Frances Yarborough’s husband, Jesse Donald Knotts, was a well-known American actor and comedian born in Morgantown, West Virginia. He became famous for his portrayal of Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show. The 1960s comedy was a major hit and boosted his career – he even received five Emmy nominations for it.

Moving on in his career, Don Knotts also played the character of Ralph Furley on the hit sitcom Three’s Company which aired from 1979 to 1984. The comedian has also starred in several comedies such as The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, and The Incredible Mr. Limpet, among others. He also made it to number 27 on the TV Guide’s list of the 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time in 1979.

According to reports, Don Knotts served in the United States Army from June 21, 1943, to January 6, 1946. He got to the rank of Technician Grade 5, which is equivalent to a Corporal, before he was discharged.

Frances’s late husband, Don Knotts, died from Pneumonia related complications that came up as a result of the lung cancer he was diagnosed with. In his will, Don had left an instruction for his family members that no matter what happens to him, he did not want to be kept alive by artificial means.

This prompted the doctors to unplug the life support machines, and he sadly kicked the bucket on February 24, 2006, at Cedars- Sinai Medical Centre.

Is Frances Yarborough Dead?

Yes, Frances Yarborough is dead. Following the death of her husband, nothing was heard of her in the media. She remained unmarried until her death on 28th October 2013, which was due to natural causes.

Frances Yarborough’s Actual Net Worth Valuation is Unclear

Although we know Frances Yarborough was a US government worker and part-time actress, nothing is known about her actual earnings – be it monthly or annual. However, at the time of her death, she was said to have been worth $1 million. Her husband, on the other hand, had a net worth estimated to be $20 million at the time of his death.

It was not revealed if Frances got to inherit his wealth, as the family never disclosed details of how his wealth was shared. Regardless, there is a possibility that she inherited a reasonable amount from his fortune.