Mary Rockefeller
Spouse of Nelson Rockefeller, First Lady of New York
About Mary Rockefeller
Lived 1907 – 1999 (aged 91). Mary Rockefeller was an American first Lady.
Mary Todhunter Clark Rockefeller (née Clark; June 17, 1907 – April 21, 1999) was the first wife of Nelson Rockefeller, the 49th governor of New York and the 41st vice president of the United States. She served as the first lady of New York from 1959 until the Rockefellers' divorce in March 1962. After their divorce, Nelson Rockefeller remained governor and would later become the 41st vice president of the United States, serving under President Gerald Ford.
Early life Known as Tod to her family, Mary was born in the Germantown section of Philadelphia on June 17, 1907.
Rodman Clark Rockefeller (1932–2000) Ann Rockefeller Roberts (1934–2024), a founder and president of the Fund of the Four Directions. Steven Clark Rockefeller (b. 1936), a former dean of Middlebury College. Mary Rockefeller Morgan (b. 1938), an author and a therapist specializing in twin grief. Michael Clark Rockefeller (1938–1961), Mary’s twin, who disappeared during an expedition in the Asmat region of southwestern Netherlands New Guinea.
Mary divorced her husband on March 16, 1962 in Reno, Nevada on grounds of extreme mental cruelty. A year later, "Happy" Murphy became the governor's second wife.
She died at her home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in 1999 at the age of 91.
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Important facts
Family & relationships
People in Mary Rockefeller's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Mary Rockefeller's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Mary Rockefeller?
spouse of Nelson Rockefeller, First Lady of New York (1907-1999)
When was Mary Rockefeller born?
Mary Rockefeller was born on 17 June 1907 in Philadelphia.
When did Mary Rockefeller die?
Mary Rockefeller died on 21 April 1999 in Upper East Side.
What was Mary Rockefeller's occupation?
Mary Rockefeller was a first Lady.
What nationality was Mary Rockefeller?
Mary Rockefeller was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mary Rockefeller. https://biography.guide/mary-rockefeller/
MLA: "Mary Rockefeller." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mary-rockefeller/.
Chicago: "Mary Rockefeller." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mary-rockefeller/.
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