Vivian Gilley was part of the life of country singer Mickey Gilley and they were together when the celebrity worked up his career to become famous. Although Vivian Gilley was not a celebrity, being the spouse of the celebrity country singer puts her in the limelight, and in this post, we will discuss Vivian Gilley, including her age and what life was like being married to Mickey Gilley up until her death.
Who is Vivian Gilley?
Vivian Lorene McDonald Gilley is widely known for being the late wife of the late country music singer Mickey Gilley. She was born on August 10, 1939, and her birthplace is Anderson Country, Texas. She is an American national who rose to fame as a celebrity spouse.
She is the daughter of Reagan McDonald, born in 1912 and died in 1988. Her mother is Dora Mertz Saxon McDonald, born in 1914 and died in 2004. She had one sibling, Wanda L. Rains, born in 1937 and died in 1999.
Relationship and Marriage
Vivian Gilley was the second marriage of Mickey Gilley. Details about how they met remain unknown but they married on December 27, 1962. By this time, Mickey Gilley had not risen to fame and Vivian stood by him throughout his career journey as he rose to become a famous country music singer.
As Mickey’s wife, Vivian Gilley helped manage their club, Gilley’s club which was very famed during that time and was located in Pasadena. Later on, Vivian started managing her husband’s career and they worked together as a team to achieve different career milestones.
Vivian Gilley was also recognized for being the founding member of the New Life Community Church. The couple was blessed with a son, Gregory. Vivian also had three grandchildren: Michael, Keith, and Kathy.
Vivian remained married to Mickey Gilley for 57 years. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, forcing her to live in assisted living during her last year. Her condition worsened and led to her death on December 13, 2019. Vivian was 80 years old when she died and her death met her in Galveston County, Texas.
Who was Vivian’s Husband?
Vivian was married to Mickey Leroy Gilley. Her husband was born on March 9, 1936. He was in the limelight for being an American country music singer and songwriter. Mickey’s career began when he was singing country and western material in the 70s. However, he transitioned to a pop-friendly sound in the 80s, paving the way for his success as a country music singer.
During his time, Mickey appeared on the country charts and his hits had room in the pop charts, adding more to his fame. For instance, some of his greatest hits include “Room Full of Roses.” A quick overview of his early life shows that Mickey Gilley was the son of Arthur Filmore Gilley and Irene Gilley.
Growing up, Mickey lived in the shadow of his famous cousin, Jerry Lee Lewis but he soon found his ground and followed his career. Mickey died on May 7, 2022, aged 86 in Branson, Missouri.
