Who was Jim Lovell married to? Family explored as astronaut and Apollo 13 commander passes away at 97

Astronaut Jim Lovell, who commanded the 1970 lunar mission of Apollo 13, died on August 7 at the age of 97. He was married to Marilyn Lillie Gerlach, whom he had dated since high school. The couple tied the knot at a church in Annapolis in 1952. She died at 93 in August 2023.

Their children are James, Barbara, Jeffrey, and Susan. Following Jim Lovell’s death, NASA released a statement on its official website, writing:

“We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved father, USN Captain James A. “Jim” Lovell, a Navy pilot and officer, astronaut, leader, and space explorer. He was 97. We are enormously proud of his amazing life and career accomplishments, highlighted by his legendary leadership in pioneering human space flight.”

The statement continued:

“But, to all of us, he was Dad, Granddad, and the Leader of our family. Most importantly, he was our Hero. We will miss his unshakeable optimism, his sense of humor, and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible. He was truly one of a kind.”

According to Marilyn’s obituary posted on Wenban Funeral Home Ltd.’s website, when Jim Lovell was at the U.S. Naval Academy, she decided to be closer to him. Hence, she transferred to George Washington University.

At the time of their marriage, Lovell said that he had married the most beautiful girl from Wisconsin. The obituary mentioned:

“She and Jim also had a lake house in Horseshoe Bay, Texas where family and friends gathered for nearly 30 years.”

What we know about Jim Lovell’s children

During the Apollo 13 mission, an electronic malfunction with the spacecraft created a tense situation. In an interview quoted by TheCinemaholic, Jim Lovell’s eldest daughter, Barbara, said she had been scared that her dad might not get the chance to walk on the moon. It had been his dream for his whole life.

Her mom told her not to be afraid, but it had still been hard for her, at that age, to understand how serious the situation was. Susan, the younger sibling, remembered the Apollo 13 incident and said:

“I ran outside crying. And my mother ran after me, and she told me my dad was too mean to die. She didn’t mean it that way. I think she meant he was too strong to die.”

Jim Lovell’s son, James, became a restaurateur and had his own restaurant, supported by his father. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the eatery struggled a lot, and James decided to shut it down.

The youngest son, Jeff, is an alumnus of Southern Methodist University. His work experience includes a stint at Pfizer, Inc., as an Area Business Manager. He is married to Ann H. Lovell and has three children.

Following Jim Lovell’s death, Tom Hanks, who portrayed Lovell in the film Apollo 13, said Lovell was known for his ambition, willingness to take risks, and the value he placed on overcoming challenges.

He said Lovell traveled farther into space and for longer than anyone else at the time, not for money or fame, but because challenges like that made life meaningful.

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