Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate Lewis lived a short but eventful life as the fourth wife of rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis. Though her time was cut short, her story is one of love, legal battles, and ultimately, tragedy. In this post, we’ll explore the life of Jaren and her tumultuous relationship with the famed musician.
Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate’s Biography
Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate was born in 1942 in the United States. Not much is known about her early life or family background. What we do know is that she would go on to marry one of the most famous and controversial musicians of the 20th century – Jerry Lee Lewis.
Jaren was just 29 years old when she tied the knot with Jerry Lee Lewis in October 1971. He was 36 at the time and already a major star. The couple would remain married for 11 years until Jaren’s untimely death in 1982 at the age of just 39 or 40.
During their marriage, Jaren took on her husband’s famous last name, becoming Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Lewis. She was Jerry’s fourth wife, following his marriages to Dorothy Barton, Jane Mitchum, and most infamously, his 13-year-old cousin Myra Gale Brown.
Early Life and Background
As mentioned, details about Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate’s early life are scarce. Public records show she was born sometime in 1942, but her exact birthdate is unknown. Her place of birth and information about her parents and any siblings have also not been widely reported.
What we can piece together is that Jaren was likely an American citizen, based on her marriage taking place in the United States. She would have grown up in the 1940s and 50s, during the post-war boom and the birth of rock and roll – the genre that her future husband Jerry Lee Lewis helped pioneer and popularize.
By the time of her marriage in 1971, Jaren was 29 years old. This suggests she lived a relatively normal life before meeting her famous spouse and becoming tabloid fodder. But as wife number four to Jerry Lee Lewis, a controversial figure with a marriage history that included his underage cousin, Jaren was thrust into the limelight.
Marriage to Jerry Lee Lewis
Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate became Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Lewis in October 1971 when she married rock and roll star Jerry Lee Lewis. He was 36 years old and she was 29 at the time. This was Jerry’s fourth marriage, coming after his divorce from Myra Gale Brown earlier that year.
Jerry and Jaren tied the knot at a time when the musician’s career had stalled. His marriage to and divorce from his much younger cousin Myra had caused a major scandal that derailed his success. But he continued to record and release music throughout his marriage to Jaren.
The couple was married for over a decade, from 1971 until Jaren’s death in 1982. Not much is publicly known about the nature of their relationship or marriage. They had no children together, and Jerry’s only offspring are the two sons and four daughters from his previous marriages.
Being married to such a famous and notorious figure likely wasn’t easy for Jaren. Jerry Lee Lewis was as well known for his fiery stage presence and innovative piano playing as he was for his wild lifestyle, substance abuse issues, and controversial personal life. Still, Jaren remained his wife for 11 years until her life was tragically cut short.
Legal Issues and Divorce
While Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate’s marriage to Jerry Lee Lewis lasted 11 years, it was not without problems. The couple did not have any public scandals on the level of Jerry’s marriage to his underage cousin, but there were legal issues.
In 1980, the IRS seized Jerry Lee Lewis’ property and assets for failure to pay back taxes. This included their home in Nesbit, Mississippi. The losses from unpaid taxes were estimated to be $274,000.
The financial problems and loss of their home likely put a major strain on Jerry and Jaren’s marriage. However, they remained together until Jaren’s death two years later in 1982.
Since Jaren died while still married to Jerry, the couple never formally divorced. Jerry was single again after her passing, but the circumstances were tragic. He went on to marry for a fifth time in 1984 to Shawn Stephens, but that marriage lasted less than three months before Shawn’s death from an accidental drug overdose.
Parents and Siblings
Jaren Elizabeth Gunn was born in 1942 in Mississippi. She came from a large family – her parents had several other children, so Jaren grew up surrounded by siblings. Not much is publicly known about her childhood or family life before she met Jerry Lee Lewis.
When Jaren encountered the famous musician, she likely had no idea how much her world was about to change. Lewis had a reputation as a wild man, both on and off the stage. But Jaren fell for the star and they tied the knot on October 7, 1971, beginning a decade-long union.
Controversies and Rumors Surrounding Her Death
Jaren’s death on June 8, 1982 was sudden and shocking. She drowned in a swimming pool at a friend’s home just weeks before her divorce from Lewis was set to be finalized. Jaren was only 39 years old.
News of her passing immediately sparked rumors and controversy. Some questioned whether her death was truly an accident. Allegations of foul play and suicide swirled in the media.
However, authorities investigated Jaren’s death thoroughly and found no evidence of anything suspicious. Despite the gossip and speculation, her passing was officially ruled an accidental drowning.
Still, the tragedy only added to Jerry Lee Lewis’s notorious reputation. The rock pioneer was no stranger to scandal and rumors. Jaren’s death was yet another dramatic event in a life filled with controversy.
Impact of Her Marriage to Jerry Lee Lewis
Being married to Jerry Lee Lewis was undoubtedly exciting but also challenging. The rock star’s personal life was as wild as his music. When Jaren became his fourth wife, she stepped into a world of fame and chaos.
Jaren gave birth to the couple’s daughter, Lori Lee Lewis, in 1972. Becoming a mother was likely a joyful milestone for Jaren. However, her marriage to Lewis was tumultuous. The pair had a passionate but unstable relationship.
Over the course of their decade together, Jaren certainly experienced the ups and downs of being wed to a celebrity. While the details of their day-to-day life as a married couple are not well documented, it’s clear that being the wife of “The Killer” was a rollercoaster of emotions.
Ultimately, Jaren and Lewis’s romance fizzled. By 1982, the pair had separated and were on the brink of officially divorcing. Sadly, Jaren would not live to see their split finalized.
Tragic Death and Aftermath
Jaren died just weeks before her divorce from Lewis was completed. Her passing sent shockwaves through her family, friends, and the public.
The loss of a loved one is always heartbreaking, but Jaren’s death was especially painful given the timing and her young age. At only 39, she still had so much life ahead of her. Her passing was a devastating blow.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Jaren’s family grieved privately. Jerry Lee Lewis did not make any public statements about his estranged wife’s death. He continued his career and went on to marry for a seventh time.
While Jaren may be a footnote in Lewis’s story, her life and death are significant. She was a young woman who got caught up in the wild world of rock and roll. Ultimately, her time in the spotlight was cut short far too soon.
Jaren’s daughter, Lori, was only 10 years old when her mother died. Losing a parent at such a young age is an unimaginable tragedy. Lori has kept her mother’s memory alive and occasionally spoken about Jaren publicly.
Conclusion
The life of Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate Lewis was marked by both love and tragedy. As the fourth wife of rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, she was married to one of the most famous and controversial musicians of the 20th century.
Though details of Jaren’s early life and even her marriage are scarce, we know it could not have been easy being wed to a man with such a tumultuous personal life and career. Still, Jaren and Jerry were married for 11 years, until her untimely death by drowning in 1982.
Jaren’s story is a reminder of the human side of celebrity marriages and the toll that fame can take on those in its orbit. While her time was short, Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate Lewis remains a part of rock and roll history as the fourth Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis.
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