Pat Sajak is best known as the host of the popular game show “Wheel of Fortune,” but Sajak values family as much as work. He has been married not one but two times.
Who was Pat Sajak’s first wife?
Pat’s first wife was Sherrill Sajak. Not much is known about her before she got married to the entertainer. Not even her maiden name is known by the media. It is thought that she was born in 1945 in the United States, but her exact birth date is not known. Pictures of her (at least what several websites report to be a photo of her) make it clear that she is Caucasian with blond hair, but nothing is known about her parents or even what city she was born in.
Sherrill and Pat met while they were both in Nashville, Tennessee. They hit it off, started dating and got married less than a year later. In 1979, they said their wedding vows in front of close friends and family in a small, private ceremony. From the outside, their marriage looked perfect, but as the years went by, the love between the two faded.
When Sherrill and Pat got married, Pat was not yet the host of “Wheel of Fortune.” He began his career as a weatherman and later hosted a couple game show pilots before finally landing the job as the host of the show that would bring him fame and fortune.
Sherrill was still married to Pat when he started hosting “Wheel of Fortune” in 1981. The success of the show had to have impacted their lives in several ways. First, Sherrill was suddenly in the spotlight, and considering how little is known about her life except for the years she was married, it’s easy to assume that she did not like the attention.
Pat’s job hosting “Wheel of Fortune” also meant that he was fairly busy, and that was probably a big change in their marriage. He was not able to focus on their relationship as much, and although the pair made plenty of appearances together, they didn’t spend much quality time together.
In 1986, Pat and Sherrill officially divorced. They never had any children. While Pat went on to remarry and have children with his second wife, Lesley Brown, Sherrill never had children of her own and is believed to remain single. She has kept her life after the divorce completely out of the spotlight, and very little is known about her now.
What happened to Pat Sajak’s first wife?
While we don’t know a lot about Sherrill, we can make a few assumptions based on her ex-husband’s life and interests. For example, while Sherrill and Pat were married, they bought a 2,600 square foot Craftsman house that was built in 1911. Due to the renovations and upkeep of the home, they were able to sell it after their divorce for $700,000. Sherrill must have received part of this money, and she probably received a percentage of her husband’s wealth after the divorce. That said, she is probably decently well off financially and probably doesn’t have to work if she chooses not to. It is unknown if she had a career before, during or after her marriage.
It is probably also possible that Sherrill is a conservative, a Republican and a Christian since many spouses have political and religious views in common. Pat is known to be religious, and he is a member of Churches of Christ. He also has a history of helping Republican candidates and has written for a conservative magazine called Human Events.
While Sherrill was able to let her life drift out of the public eye, as is her preference, Pat was not able to do the same. He is still very much in the spotlight since he is still the host of “Wheel of Fortune.” He even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
After Pat and Sherrill got divorced, Pat >married a woman named Lesley Brown. They met in California in 1986, but it was not love at first sight. Lesley lived in Maryland at the time, and when she returned home, the pair stayed in touch over the phone. Eventually, they started dating, and they got married on New Year’s Eve in 1989.
There weren’t any big changes in Pat’s career during their marriage since he was already hosting “Wheel of Fortune” when they met, and he continues to host the game show.
Pat and Lesley have two children together. Their son is named Patrick Michael James Sajak, and their daughter is Maggie Marie Sajak.
If the name Maggie Sajak sounds familiar, it’s probably because she has released several singles, and she has appeared on “Wheel of Fortune” a few different times. She is an aspiring Country singer who writes her own songs, but she is not relying on music for her career. In 2016, she graduated from Princeton University with a degree in history.
Pat and Lesley are still married. When he is not filming “Wheel of Fortune” in Los Angeles, they live at their house in Maryland.
Does it surprise you that Pat Sajak’s ex-wife wants to stay out of the spotlight? Do you think they would still be married if he hadn’t landed the job hosting “Wheel of Fortune”?