Jane Dobbins Green is best known as the second wife of Ray Kroc, the businessman who turned McDonald’s into a global brand. While Ray’s life is well recorded, Jane chose a quieter path. This article brings together the main facts we can confirm from reliable information, and it also explains where the record is thin. It uses clear language so any reader can follow.
Personl Information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jane Dobbins Green (also appears in public records as “Jane E. Dobbins Whitney” after a later marriage) |
| Known for | Second wife of Ray Kroc (McDonald’s leader) |
| Reported birth | 22 Nov 1911, Walla Walla, Washington (from public memorial / genealogy indexes) |
| Reported death | 7 Aug 2000, Los Angeles, California (from public memorial / genealogy indexes) |
| Work noted in sources | Secretary; several references say she was John Wayne’s secretary before meeting Kroc |
| Marriage to Ray Kroc | 1963–1968 (divorced) |
| Children with Kroc | None recorded |
| Later life (reported) | Public genealogy index shows a 1984 marriage to Paul D. Whitney |
Early life and background
Very little is on the public record about Jane’s family, schooling, or early jobs. Some online memorial and genealogy entries list her birth as 22 November 1911 in Walla Walla, Washington, and say she died in Los Angeles on 7 August 2000 at age 88. These entries also place her burial at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles. Because these sources are user-submitted or compiled from public indexes, we treat them with care and mark them as “reported.”
Several respected references focus on Ray Kroc and only mention Jane when they describe his personal life. This is one reason the public story about Jane is limited. Still, two strong references say that before meeting Kroc, Jane worked as a secretary and, specifically, as John Wayne’s secretary.
Meeting Ray Kroc and a quick courtship
By the early 1960s, Ray Kroc was busy building McDonald’s across the United States. In 1962 he moved to California to help the West Coast business grow. During this time he met Jane Dobbins Green, whom one entry identifies as John Wayne’s secretary. The same entry notes that after a whirlwind 14-day courtship, they married.
Most standard biographies of Kroc agree on the basic timeline: Ray’s first marriage to Ethel Fleming ended in 1961; he then married Jane in 1963; and the couple divorced in 1968. These dates match the record shown in well-maintained references.
A baseball biography of Ray and Joan Kroc adds another helpful detail: it also identifies Jane as John Wayne’s secretary and places Ray’s meeting with her in 1963. Taken together, these sources support the picture of a fast courtship during a very busy time in Ray’s career.
Life as Ray Kroc’s wife (1963–1968)
Jane married Ray just as McDonald’s was taking off. The company went public in 1965, and the chain was expanding fast. During these years, Ray lived the life of a public corporate leader. Jane, however, stayed largely out of the spotlight. There are few interviews or public comments from her, and newspapers mainly mention her name when they describe Ray’s personal life.
Ray is quoted as saying he was “content with Jane,” but that Joan (“Joni”) was the woman he truly loved and could not forget. This helps explain why the Jane-Ray marriage did not last long.
Divorce and what came next
The marriage ended in 1968, after about five years.
Soon after, Ray reunited with Joan (Mansfield) Smith, whom he had first met years earlier when she was playing the organ at a St. Paul nightclub. Both Ray and Joan ended their marriages, and they married each other on March 8, 1969.
After her divorce from Ray, Jane continued to live privately. Public genealogical indexes say she later married Paul D. Whitney in 1984, and that she died in 2000 in Los Angeles; these same indexes and memorial pages list Westwood Memorial Park as her burial place.
Work and public image
Unlike Joan Kroc, who became a major public figure and philanthropist, Jane did not seek public attention. References say she worked as a secretary before she met Ray, and two independent sources name John Wayne as her employer at the time. Beyond this, there is little verified detail about her career or interests.
In recent years, many internet articles repeat the same brief facts about Jane. Some posts add extra details without citing strong sources. When you see claims about exact heights, hair color, or private family stories, treat them with care unless a newspaper archive, a book, or a recognized reference backs them up.
Why her story feels quiet
There are two main reasons:
- Jane avoided the spotlight. She did not give interviews, and she was not a public business figure or a large-scale donor like Joan. As a result, newspapers and magazines did not cover her life in depth.
- Ray’s later marriage became the public story. Ray and Joan Kroc owned the San Diego Padres and gave very large gifts to many causes. Because of this, journalists and historians wrote more about Ray and Joan, and less about Jane’s years with Ray. Ray’s own book and later reporting also stress that his feelings for Joan were strong even while he was married to Jane.
Common mix-ups
Some people confuse Jane Dobbins Green with the best-selling novelist Jane Green. They are different people. Jane Dobbins Green was Ray Kroc’s second wife and lived a private life. The novelist is a separate, modern public figure. Film coverage has its own gaps too: articles comparing the movie The Founder with real life note that Jane’s part of the story receives little or no attention on screen.
Final thoughts
Jane Dobbins Green lived most of her life outside the public eye. We know she married Ray Kroc during a time of fast business growth, and that their union was brief. We also know that trusted references identify her as a secretary, and several of them name John Wayne as her employer. Beyond that, many details about her background and later years are reported rather than confirmed by strong news or academic records, so we handle them carefully. Even with this quiet record, Jane is a part of the McDonald’s story: her years with Ray sit between his first long marriage and his later, very public life with Joan.
Ten frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Who was Jane Dobbins Green?
She was the second wife of Ray Kroc, the leader who expanded McDonald’s worldwide. - When did Jane marry Ray Kroc?
They married in 1963 after a short courtship. - How long did the marriage last?
About five years. They divorced in 1968. - What did Jane do for work?
Sources describe her as a secretary; two reputable references say she was John Wayne’s secretary before meeting Ray. - Did Jane and Ray have children together?
There is no record of Jane and Ray having children together. - Why did Jane and Ray divorce?
Ray later wrote that he was “content with Jane,” but he still loved Joan (“Joni”), whom he married in 1969. This helps explain the split. - What happened to Jane after the divorce?
She kept a low profile. A public genealogy index shows a 1984 marriage to Paul D. Whitney; beyond that, there is little verified public information. - When did Jane Dobbins Green die?
Public memorial and genealogy records report that she died on 7 August 2000 in Los Angeles at age 88, with a burial at Westwood Memorial Park. - Is Jane shown in the film The Founder?
She is not a major figure in the film. Comparison pieces about the movie note that her part of the story is mostly left out. - What are the most reliable sources about Jane and Ray?
For Jane’s role in Ray’s life: encyclopedia entries, biographies of Ray and Joan, Los Angeles Times pieces reflecting on Ray’s words, and Ray Kroc’s own timeline. These sources agree on the core facts about the marriage years and context.
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