The Untold Truth of Virginia Fields, John Madden’s Wife

Virginia Fields is the wife of John Madden, the late American football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL) who passed away in December 2021.

Field, an educator, and John Madden stunned many people with the longevity of their marriage. They were married for a very long time, welcoming children together and maintaining their romance until death did them part. Read more about them here and discover more facts about the wife of the legendary NFL commentator.

Virginia Fields Was Born in the United States

Virginia Fields is an American woman who was born in the United States. However, details about the exact city or town in which she was born remain quite vague at the moment. This is mainly because a lot of information about her early life remains out of public space. According to reports, Fields also grew up in the USA, where she was raised by her family.

Information about the identity of her parents is not available. It is not clear who they were or what they did for a living to cater to their children. It is also not certain if Virginia Fields is an only child or if she has siblings with whom she grew up in the USA.

How Old is Virginia Fields Now?

It is not clear how old Virginia Fields is at the moment. Unlike her famous husband, Fields’ real age has never been specified, and this is because of the limited information about her background and early years.

This notwithstanding, many sources have claimed that she is currently in her 70s and is fast approaching 80. What is clear is that Fields is an old woman who has witnessed the coming and going of several decades.

She is a Well-Read Woman

Virginia Fields is a well-read woman. We know this because we dug up old articles quoting her interest in books and education. Information about where she had her elementary and high school education is not clear. However, we know that she had more than one degree. She bagged her first degree at the California Polytechnic State University, a public university in San Luis Obispo, California.

According to a 1983 Sports Illustrated article, Virginia Fields’ first degree was said to be in education. After bagging this first degree, she did not stop there; she also decided to get a master’s in the same field of education. While all this was happening, she was also working as an educator and channeling her knack for business into developing other ventures.

A very self-motivated woman, she knew her onions and never depended on her rich husband, John Madden. She worked for her own fortune and earned everyone’s respect.

How Virginia Fields and John Madden Met

Virginia Fields and John Madden first met each other in the 1950s when they were both teenagers. According to reports, they both attended the California Polytechnic State University, and they were both studying for a Bachelor of Science in education, meaning they were both in the same department. But interestingly, it was not in class that they first met each other, despite being in the same field.

Virginia Fields explained that they actually met each other for the first time in a bar in Pismo Beach, a city on California’s Central Coast. That day, they had both gone out to hang out and socialize when they bumped into each other. They caught each other’s attention and got talking. Fields later explained that she was not really fond of hanging out in bars but had simply just decided to go out that day when the meeting happened.

Following their first meeting at the bar, both Virginia Fields and Madden kept in touch, and soon, a budding romance began. It is not clear exactly when their first date happened and how long they dated. However, we know that things blossomed between them quickly and they later decided to settle down as man and wife.

Virginia Fields Became John Madden’s Wife in 1959

After dating for a while, Virginia Fields and John Madden eventually tied the knot as man and wife on December 26, 1959. Madden was about 23 years old at the time. However, Fields’ age at the time of the wedding is not clear.

According to our findings, Fields and Madden’s wedding was held during a lavish ceremony that took place inside the St Mary of the Assumption Church in Santa Maria, a city near the Central Coast of California in northern Santa Barbara County. Family and friends were all in attendance to witness the union.

For the record, at the time of their wedding, John Madden had not yet begun his exploits in the coaching business and had not become the successful, influential figure he would later be. Both Madden and his wife were young adults heavily in love who were determined to make their romance work.

All About Virginia Field’s Husband, John Madden

• Full name: John Earl Madden
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: April 10, 1936
• Died: December 28, 2021
• John Madden’s Age at death: 85
• Nationality: American
• Zodiac Sign: Aries
• Sexual Orientation: Straight
• Religion: Christianity
• Marital Status: Was married
• John Madden’s Wife: Virginia Fields
• John Madden’s Children: Joseph Madden and Michael Madden
• John Madden’s Parents: Earl Russell Madden and Mary Margaret Flaherty
• John Madden’s Height in Inches: 6 feet 4 inches
• John Madden’s Height in Centimetres: 193 cm
• John Madden’s Weight: 209 lbs (95 kg)
• John Madden’s Net worth: $200 million
• Famous for: Being an American football coach and sports commentator

Often hailed as one of the most influential figures in American football history, John Madden was a former amateur player and American football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). Growing up, he had great dreams of being a professional player. However, after an injury stopped him from playing professionally, he turned to coaching.

He went on to serve as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978. During this time, he led the team to eight playoff appearances, seven AFL / AFC Championship Game appearances, seven division titles, and the franchise’s first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XI. During his coaching career, Madden held the highest winning percentage among NFL head coaches who coached 100 games as he never had a losing season.

He became one of the most respected and influential coaches in the NFL and was a beloved of the club. Madden was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. When he retired from coaching, John Madden became a color commentator for NFL telecasts from 1979 to 2008. Once again, Madden proved he was not just good at coaching but also good at commentary. He was so good that he won as many as 16 Sports Emmy Awards for his work.

As a commentator, he made appearances on all four major American television networks and provided commentary for games broadcast by CBS, Fox, ABC, and NBC. After Madden lent his name, commentary, and expertise to the Madden NFL video game series (1988–present), the series became the best-selling American football video game franchise of all time.

They Had Two Children Together

The marriage between Virginia Fields and John Madden was fruitful; they welcomed two sons together called Joseph Madden and Michael Madden. Apparently full of love for their children, the couple was very doting. Both children were reportedly brought up in Pleasanton, a city in Alameda County, California.

According to the Sports Illustrated article, Virginia Fields was a more consistent presence in the raising of the two boys since her husband was mainly away carrying out his coaching duties and building his legendary profile. Because of this, Fields became the voice of authority in matters of their discipline. She taught them how to be respectful and made sure they embraced hard work.

In fact, when the boys were still little, she made them help her run a bar that she bought in their town. They would come to the bar after school and help carry out some duties at the place. She didn’t wear them out too much and made sure their help was only occasional. But this taught them the dignity of hard work from early on.

Despite this, John Madden was not completely cut off from the lives of his children. In fact, he admitted that he also instilled a few basic ideas that have helped mold his sons’ outlooks on life. He understood the importance of a father figure in his children’s lives, and he made sure he didn’t deprive them of this.

Both Children Took After Their Father

Interestingly, Virginia Fields and John Madden’s two sons took after their father by playing football. Joseph Madden, who is more affectionately called Joe Madden, played football at Brown University, where he studied and did quite well for his team.

On the other hand, Michael Madden also played football. Mike, as he is more fondly called, attended Harvard University, where he started as a receiver on the football team. However, despite taking after their father, they were not as successful as the older Madden in the sport.

How Long Did Virginia Field’s Marriage to John Madden Last?

The marriage between Virginia Fields and John Madden lasted for 62 long years. In this age, when marriages break and couples part ways as easily as they fall in love, the longevity of Fields and Madden’s marriage is an incredibly mind-blowing feat.

From the time they got married on December 26, 1959, Fields and Madden remained married until Madden passed away on December 28, 2021, just two days after their 62nd wedding anniversary. Apparently, theirs was a beautiful love story. They were together till the end.

In fact, two days before Madden died, he and his Virginia Fields celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary together and were cheered by family and friends who adored them and their union. Two days later, he was no more. He was 85 years old at the time he died.

It goes without saying that Virginia Fields was completely devastated by John Madden’s death. She had been married to him for 62 years and known him more than anyone else. However, she never publicly released any statement on his passing, preferring instead to grieve in private with her family.

However, she later made public appearances to celebrate her husband’s life. For instance, in early 2022, she was at her late husband’s memorial at Oakland Coliseum, where she talked about his memory and about their mutual love for the city and the fans of football.

What Does John Madden’s Wife Do For a Living?

As we have already mentioned, Virginia Fields is a very hard-working woman who carved her own path and did not just rely on her rich and influential husband. According to reports, she worked as an educator for a long time. After bagging a Bachelor of Science in education from California Polytechnic State University, Fields became a schoolteacher.

She loved the teaching job so much that she decided to get a master’s degree in the same field. It is not clear how far she went as an educator after bagging her master’s degree in education. However, we know that she stuck to the job even at the height of her husband, John Madden’s success as a coach, and even after having her children.

Apart from her job as a teacher, Virginia Fields also worked as a bar owner. According to reports, she purchased The Village Saloon, a bar in Dublin, California, and ran the place herself. Sometimes, she was assisted by her two sons, whom she effectively taught the beauty of hard work.

Virginia Fields ran The Village Saloon for two years before she eventually sold the place for a profit. According to her, even though it was fun running the bar, she realized that she was getting too involved in people’s lives as most people who came there often divulged a lot of secres after drinking. So, she decided to sell. She is reported to have owned other businesses.

Apart from the bar business, Fields was also involved with a nonprofit organization called Vascular Cures, which works to help prevent vascular disease. She became very passionate about spreading awareness about vascular disease after she underwent surgery to repair a blocked carotid artery in her 40s.

It is also believed that Virginia Fields was ably responsible for taking care of the various antiques that the Madden family owned. Some of these valuable antics included a highway YIELD sign, which was gifted to Madden by Ted Hendricks, the three-time All-America linebacker when Madden retired.

However, despite her work over the years, it is not clear what her net worth is at the moment. This is because there is no sufficient information to help evaluate her overall worth. Her husband, on the other hand, was said to be worth an amazing $200 million during his lifetime.

FAQs

Who Was Virginia Field?

Virginia Field was a British actress who lived from 1917 to 1992 and featured in movies in Austria, the U.S., and the United Kingdom. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 1960. Virginia Field is also the name of the wife of John Madden, the late NFL coach and commentator who passed away on December 28, 2021, at the age of 85. Field, a trained educator, was married to John Madden from 1959 until his demise in 2021.

How Old Was Virginia Field When She Died?

Virginia Field was 74 years old when she died on 2nd January 1992. It must be pointed out that Virginia Field, who died, is not John Madden’s wife but rather a British actress who was born on 4 November 1917 and featured in a handful of movies and TV shows in her lifetime.