Virginia Clinton Kelley
Encyclopedia
Virginia Clinton Kelley was the mother of former United States President Bill Clinton
.
She was born Virginia Dell Cassidy, the daughter of James Eldridge Cassidy (1898–1957), the town iceman (later a grocer), and Edith Cassidy (née Grisham; 1901–1968), a nurse anesthetist. During her high school years, she worked as a waitress at a local restaurant. Following her graduation from high school, Virginia Kelley moved to Shreveport, Louisiana
, to study to be a nurse anesthetist like her mother. During her training in Shreveport, she met her first husband, Bill Blythe, Jr.
, whom she married in a civil ceremony in 1943, just before he shipped out for World War II
military duty. Upon completion of her training, she returned to Hope. When her husband was discharged, he picked her up and they moved for four months to Chicago
, Illinois
. She moved back to her parents while she and William were in the process of getting a new home in the Hope area. It was while William was on his way back to Hope that he was killed in an automobile accident, three months before Bill III
's birth.
In 1950, Virginia Kelley married Roger Clinton
the father of her second son Roger, Jr.
Clinton was an alcoholic and was physically and mentally abusive to Virginia and the boys. He did not adopt Bill but Bill took his surname legally in 1962 at his own request. He told his mother that it would be easier if they all had the same last name. Roger and Virginia divorced in 1962, but remarried a few months later.
Following Roger's death from cancer
in 1967, Virginia Clinton married hairdresser Jeff Dwire
in 1969; he subsequently died of complications of diabetes in 1974. On January 17, 1982, she married Richard Kelley (1915-2007), an executive at a food distribution brokerage firm. Their marriage lasted until her death from complications of breast cancer
, at the age of 70, at her home in Hot Springs, Arkansas
. She is buried alongside her first husband at Rose Hill Cemetery in Hope, Arkansas
.
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
She was born Virginia Dell Cassidy, the daughter of James Eldridge Cassidy (1898–1957), the town iceman (later a grocer), and Edith Cassidy (née Grisham; 1901–1968), a nurse anesthetist. During her high school years, she worked as a waitress at a local restaurant. Following her graduation from high school, Virginia Kelley moved to Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, to study to be a nurse anesthetist like her mother. During her training in Shreveport, she met her first husband, Bill Blythe, Jr.
William Jefferson Blythe, Jr.
William Jefferson "Bill" Blythe, Jr. was an Arkansas salesman of heavy equipment and the biological father of former U.S. President Bill Clinton.-Personal life:...
, whom she married in a civil ceremony in 1943, just before he shipped out for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
military duty. Upon completion of her training, she returned to Hope. When her husband was discharged, he picked her up and they moved for four months to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. She moved back to her parents while she and William were in the process of getting a new home in the Hope area. It was while William was on his way back to Hope that he was killed in an automobile accident, three months before Bill III
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's birth.
In 1950, Virginia Kelley married Roger Clinton
Roger Clinton, Sr.
Roger M. Clinton, Sr. was the first stepfather of former President of the United States Bill Clinton.Clinton was born in Yell County, Arkansas to Allen W. and Eula Clinton . He was of part Cherokee ancestry...
the father of her second son Roger, Jr.
Roger Clinton, Jr.
Roger Cassidy Clinton is an American actor and musician and the half-brother of former President Bill Clinton.Roger Clinton was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas , the son of Virginia Clinton Kelley and Roger M...
Clinton was an alcoholic and was physically and mentally abusive to Virginia and the boys. He did not adopt Bill but Bill took his surname legally in 1962 at his own request. He told his mother that it would be easier if they all had the same last name. Roger and Virginia divorced in 1962, but remarried a few months later.
Following Roger's death from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in 1967, Virginia Clinton married hairdresser Jeff Dwire
Jeff Dwire
George Jefferson "Jeff" Dwire was an Arkansas small businessman and the third husband of Virginia Clinton Kelley, and a stepfather of former United States President Bill Clinton and of Roger Clinton.- Early life :...
in 1969; he subsequently died of complications of diabetes in 1974. On January 17, 1982, she married Richard Kelley (1915-2007), an executive at a food distribution brokerage firm. Their marriage lasted until her death from complications of breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
, at the age of 70, at her home in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
. She is buried alongside her first husband at Rose Hill Cemetery in Hope, Arkansas
Hope, Arkansas
Hope is a small city in Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2008 United States Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,378...
.
External links
- Autobiography at Amazon.comAmazon.comAmazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
- Family Tree
- Washington Post Obituary
- Virginia Clinton Kelley Breast Cancer fund
- Virginia Clinton Kelley at Findagrave.com