Debbie Higgins (born 1950; died 2014) was the first wife of Dr. Phil, the world-famous American television personality and author. She was born in 1950 and died in 2014 at 64. While she lived, Debbie was a businesswoman and was married to Dr. Phil for three years before their divorce in 1973.
Debbie is mainly known by many as Dr. Phil’s ex-wife, and this is not surprising, considering the level of fame and success the man has achieved over the years, which has eclipsed her own work. However, it is noteworthy that she was also her own woman who was able to build her own business and did well to fend for herself.
Debbie Higgins’ Bio
- AGE AT DEATH: 64 Years Old
- BIRTHDAY: 1950
- BIRTHPLACE: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- ETHNICITY: Caucasian
- SIBLINGS: Bill Higgins
Who Was Dr. Phil McGraw’s First Wife?
Dr. Phil’s first wife was Debbie Higgins. She was born in Las Vegas in 1950. The exact date of her birth is not certain, so her birth sign is not known. Very little information is available about who her family members are. Because of this, the identity of her parents is not known. However, some reports say her father worked as a farmer and owned a farm in Kansas, and her mother helped her father out with the farm work.
Because not much is known about her family, it is not certain what ethnicity Debbie is or if she is of mixed ethnicity. However, different reports claim she is Caucasian as she has all the classic physical features of a Caucasian female.
Debbie Higgins Grew Up On A Farm
Even though Debbie Higgins was born in Las Vegas, she did not grow up there. According to our findings, she grew up in Kansas because her family relocated there soon after she was born.
Debbie’s father, a farmer, was reported to have owned a farm in Kansas. So, Debbie ended up being raised on the farm and grew up into a beautiful, charming young woman. According to reports, things were not very well for the family financially when Debbie was growing up, so they had to work hard to get by.
She Had A Brother
Debbie Higgins was not an only child. She had a brother whose name was Bill Higgins. It is not clear who is the older sibling between the two. However, it is believed that they both grew up on their father’s farm in Kansas.
Not much is known about Bill and what he does for a living at the moment. But he is known to have spoken up about his sister, Debbie, when she passed away. Some reports say he was quite protective of her in their younger days.
Debbie Higgins’ Education Was Plagued By Financial Crisis
As a young woman, Debbie Higgins had some issues with finances while going to school. She went to a local elementary school in Kansas and then proceeded to bag a high school diploma from Shawnee Mission North High School in Overland Park, Kansas.
In the fall of 1968, having graduated from high school, Debbie left home and moved to Springfield, a city in southwestern Missouri, to attend Missouri State University. Unfortunately, she could not complete her education there because she ran out of funds.
Unable to pay for more than a year in Southwest Missouri State, Debbie Higgins decided to go back home to Kansas to figure out what to do next. Her family could not intervene because things were not very good financially. Back home, she decided to enroll at Johnson County Community College, a public community college in Overland Park, Kansas. She also enrolled at a hairdressing school.
Debbie Higgins and Dr. Phil Met in High School
The most talked-about part of Debbie Higgins’ life is her marriage to Phil McGraw, popularly known as Dr. Phil, for obvious reasons. Interestingly, our findings show that Debbie and Phil were actually high school sweethearts. The former couple first met at Shawnee Mission North High School and fell in love, but it is unclear how or when exactly they first met.
However, it is believed that they struck off their romance right from high school. Phil and Debbie were so in love that their families got to know each other almost immediately after falling in love.
After they finished high school, Phil, who didn’t want to lose Debbie, gave her a promise ring as a sign that he was committed to loving her forever. Debbie was thrilled. Soon after their high school graduation, the lovebirds were physically separated because they went off to different colleges; while Debbie moved to Springfield to study social work at Southwest Missouri State, Phillip went to the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he was given a football scholarship.
But, despite being separated by space, the lovers always kept in touch and occasionally made trips between Springfield and Tulsa to keep their romance alive. After Debbie Higgins dropped out of Southwest Missouri State and enrolled at Johnson County Community College, Phil was not happy, so he asked her to move to Lubbock, a city in Texas, where he had taken a job at a health spa, to be with him.
At the time, Phil had suffered an injury while playing football in college, so he moved back to Texas to be with his family and recuperate while working at the health spa. At first, Debbie didn’t want to accept the move to Lubbock, but she eventually conceded and joined Phil there.
Debbie Higgins Became Dr. Phil’s Wife In 1970
Debbie Higgins and Phil reunited at Lubbock and stayed there together for several months. During this time, the couple became much closer, and it soon became apparent that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. They eventually reached a decision to get married.
They eventually tied the knot in November 1970. Interestingly, they were both just 20 years old when they married. For their wedding, they returned to Roeland Park from Lubbock to tie the knot at Southbridge Presbyterian Church in Roeland Park, Kansas, which was also Debbie Higgins’ childhood church.
The event was attended by several family members and friends. The bride’s sister, who acted as the matron of honor, and the groom’s sister, who served as a bridesmaid, were in attendance at the wedding. An incident threatened to ruin the wedding because, despite the presence of close family members, the ceremony was marred by an error on the napkins, which had been printed with the names “Debbie and Ed” instead of “Debbie and Phil”. However, the event was eventually conducted successfully.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds took a honeymoon trip to Vail, Colorado, before returning to their home in Lubbock and settling there. However, due to the concerns of the bride’s mother about her young daughter moving so far away, the couple decided to relocate to Kansas two years after their marriage.
Once they were in Kansas, Phil opened a spa called the Gracian Health Spa in Topeka, the capital of Kansas. The spa was run by both Phil and Debbie.
What Happened to The First Dr. Phil’s Family?
Unfortunately, the marriage between Debbie and Phil did not stand the test of time. Things began to deteriorate for the couple shortly after their move to Kansas. Barely a year after their move, the strains of a new environment took its toll on their business and, subsequently, their marriage.
The marriage crashed just three years after their wedding, and the couple went their separate ways. Friends and family members tried to intervene, but things had gotten out of hand too fast. Their divorce was finalized in 1973. It is noteworthy that Debbie and Phil divorced long before Phil became the famous TV personality he is today.
Why Dr. Phil and Debbie Higgins’s Marriage Ended
There were many reasons why the couple, who used to love each other with so much passion, fell apart and went their separate ways. Most of the reasons had to do with Phil. According to reports, Phil had been very affectionate and attentive during their courtship, but his behavior changed soon after they tied the knot.
Debbie claimed that he became distant and stopped expressing love toward her. In fact, he rarely used the words “I love you” anymore. He also became very controlling, denying his wife access to their business and forbidding her from visiting the spa, which they had always managed together before. He became so controlling that he even pressured her to start lifting weights in order to change her appearance just to please him.
Debbie confided in her mother and brother, revealing all that was happening to them. Her brother would later explain that Phil expected Debbie to be a traditional, submissive ’50s wife who would stay at home all day and wait for him to return. After some time, Phil began freezing her out emotionally and verbally, refusing to talk to her when he came home from work and even telling her she wasn’t intelligent enough to have a conversation with him.
On a particular family trip, the couple didn’t even say a word to each other. It was that bad. Things eventually came to a head when Phil began cheating on Debbie. Friends and neighbors told her about his infidelities, and she was furious. To make matters worse, when she confronted him about his cheating ways, he didn’t deny it and was not even remorseful. In fact, he defended his actions and told her that it had nothing to do with his feelings for her, that “that’s just the way it is in the world.”
Phil’s lack of remorse for cheating was the final straw for Debbie, and the couple eventually divorced, going their separate ways. They did not see each other again until 30 years later, at their high school reunion in Kansas.
Did Debbie Higgins Have Children?
The marriage between Debbie Higgins and Phil did not produce any children. However, it is believed that she remarried after leaving Phil because she started bearing Debbie McCall, meaning she had married a certain Mr. McCall.
She is also reported to have a daughter called Marci McCall. Not much is known about this daughter of hers at the moment. Following her divorce from Phil, Debbie basically carried on with her life quietly.
On the other hand, Phil went on to marry another woman called Robin McGraw. They got married in 1976 and have remained together ever since. They have two sons together. Over the years, he rose to become one of America’s most well-known TV personalities and is now famously referred to as Dr. Phil.
Debbie Was More Than Just Dr. Phil’s Ex-Wife; She Was Also A Business Owner
Debbie Higgins was more known as the ex-wife of the famous Dr. Phil. However, it is important to know that there was actually more to Debbie Higgins than just being Dr. Phil’s ex-wife. As a matter of fact, she managed to build a business for herself and made her own living.
According to our findings, Debbie Higgins owned a liquor store in the Kansas City area. Some reports say she was loved by many people in the area and effectively ran the store until her death.
The Tragic Death Of Debbie Higgins
Debbie Higgins has since passed away. The businesswoman is reported to have died in 2014. This was reportedly revealed by her brother, Bill Higgins, who spoke to the press following her passing.
Bill confirmed that she passed away in 2014 and revealed that she died from cancer. The type of cancer that killed Debbie has not been established by the media since she passed.
What Was Debbie Higgins’ Age When She Died?
Debbie Higgins passed away at the age of 64. She was born in 1950 and turned 64 years old in 2014 before she succumbed to cancer. Her exact day of birth is unknown, but several reports have it that her birth year is 1950.
This means she was born in the same year as her ex-husband, Dr. Phil, and at the time of her death, she was 64.
What was Debbie Higgins’ Net Worth Before She Died?
We know that Debbie Higgins was a businesswoman who handled her business well and made a living for herself. However, her exact net worth at the time of her passing is not known at the moment.
According to reports, she did not request any alimony from her famous ex-husband, Dr. Phil, who is now worth over $400 million.
FAQs
Obituary of Dr Phil’s First Wife Debbie Higgins
Debbie Higgins’ obituary was announced by her brother, Bill Higgins, shortly after her passing from cancer complications in 2014.
When was Debbie Higgins Mccall and Phil McGraw Wedding?
Debbie Higgins and Phil McGraw’s wedding took place in November 1970 when they were 20-year-olds. They had met in high school and dated until they made it official in 1970.