Elaine Okamura is known to many people because she married the singer Wayne Newton in the late 1960s. She lived part of her life in the public eye, then chose a quiet path. This article shares what is known about her early life, her wedding day in Las Vegas, her family, and the years after the marriage. The goal is to give clear facts in simple words, without gossip.
Personl Information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Elaine Okamura |
| Known for | First wife of singer Wayne Newton |
| Hometown | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Work before marriage | Flight attendant (“airline stewardess”) |
| Marriage date | June 1, 1968 (Las Vegas) |
| Wedding venue | Little Church of the West (Las Vegas chapel) |
| Reception | Breakfast reception at the Flamingo Hotel |
| Spouse (then) | Wayne Newton (married 1968; divorced 1985) |
| Child | Daughter, Erin (born 1976; adopted) |
| Years married | About 17 years (1968–1985) |
| Life after divorce | Private; very limited public information |
Early life and work before the wedding
Public records linked to her wedding show that Elaine Okamura was from Honolulu, Hawaii. News notes from that time also describe her as a former “airline stewardess,” which today we would call a flight attendant. These details appeared in archives that covered the couple’s wedding.
There is not much verified information about her childhood, family background, or schooling in major news archives. Because of that, it is best not to guess. What we can say with confidence is that she worked in aviation service before her marriage and was living in Honolulu.
Wedding day in Las Vegas
Elaine Okamura married Wayne Newton on June 1, 1968, in Las Vegas. The ceremony took place at the Little Church of the West, one of the city’s well-known wedding chapels. After the ceremony, the couple hosted about 75 guests at a breakfast reception at the Flamingo Hotel. They had dated for about two and a half years and became engaged the previous Christmas. Wayne’s brother Jerry served as best man, and Elaine’s sister, Mrs. Shirley Kajioka, was matron of honor.
Reports from that weekend add two small details: Wayne was 26 years old at the time, and Elaine was 23. These notes also repeat that she was an airline stewardess and that she came from Honolulu.
Life in the spotlight during the 1970s
The couple married just as Wayne Newton’s Las Vegas career was rising. In the 1970s he became one of the city’s most popular headliners, performing long shows and building a close link with Las Vegas culture. During these years, media coverage focused on Wayne’s work and on the growth of his estate, Casa de Shenandoah, which was completed in 1978. These context details help explain why the family often appeared in entertainment news through Wayne’s career.
While Wayne’s career was very public, Elaine kept a lower profile. Aside from event photos and a few society notes, there are few direct interviews or long profiles of her from that period in major news databases. This is common for spouses who choose privacy.
Becoming parents
In 1976 the couple welcomed a daughter, Erin. Local reporting states that Erin is the adopted daughter of Wayne and Elaine. National and biographical sources also note her birth year as 1976. Together, these sources confirm both the arrival of their child and her place in the family.
Over the years, Erin’s name sometimes appeared in stories about her father, including legal and business news in the 1990s. These pieces show that the family remained part of Las Vegas life long after the 1970s.
Divorce and separate paths
Elaine Okamura and Wayne Newton divorced in 1985, after about 17 years of marriage. Basic biographical records and entertainment reporting confirm that Elaine was Wayne’s first wife.
After the divorce, Wayne later married attorney Kathleen McCrone in 1994 and had another daughter in 2002. These details are included here only to show the timeline after the marriage with Elaine ended.
Life after marriage: what we can say
After 1985, Elaine chose a private life. Major newspapers and authoritative archives share very little about her later years. Some websites try to fill the gaps with guesses about where she lives today or details about extended family, but these claims rarely include strong sources. Because the record is thin, the most respectful and accurate approach is to note the limits of public information and avoid repeating unverified statements.
What remains clear is that Elaine Okamura became part of Las Vegas entertainment history through a well-documented wedding to one of the city’s best-known performers, then stepped back from the spotlight. The public record supports the key events her background in Honolulu and airline work, the 1968 wedding, the couple’s daughter in 1976, and the 1985 divorce—without offering many personal details beyond those facts.
Why reliable sources matter for her story
Elaine’s story often appears on quick celebrity websites. Some are careful; others are not. For example, a few pages mix up the wedding location or add unsourced claims. Editorial image captions and long-standing reference entries are more dependable because they come from wire services or institutions that keep records. That is why this article relies on archival details and established reporting for the core facts.
FAQs
1) Who is Elaine Okamura?
She is the first wife of singer Wayne Newton. They married in 1968 and divorced in 1985.
2) Where is she from?
She was from Honolulu, Hawaii.
3) What did she do before marriage?
She worked as a flight attendant, called “airline stewardess” at that time.
4) When and where did the wedding take place?
June 1, 1968, at the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas.
5) Did they have a reception?
Yes. A breakfast reception was held at the Flamingo Hotel.
6) Did Elaine and Wayne have children?
Yes. They have a daughter, Erin, born in 1976, who was adopted.
7) How long were they married?
About 17 years, from 1968 to 1985.
8) What is known about Elaine after the divorce?
Very little is on record in major news archives. She has kept a private life.
9) Why is there confusion about the wedding location?
Some casual sites list the Flamingo as the ceremony site, but the ceremony was at the Little Church of the West, and the reception at the Flamingo.
10) Is there verified information about her birth year or family background?
No firm public record is widely cited. The most reliable details focus on her Honolulu roots and airline work before the 1968 wedding.
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