- Tuanchai Mackenzie gained popularity for being the ex-wife of the late popular comedian and actor Flip Wilson
- Her marriage of 6 years birthed a child whose identity is hidden from the media
- The 74-year-old disappeared from the media face following her divorce
Tuanchai Mackenzie falls in the class of celebrities who became famous as a result of their marriages. While her marriage may have ended a long time ago, her name still pops out every time the late icon of comedy is mentioned.
While Flip Wilson built a thriving career for himself, Tuanchai lived in his shadows until their marriage ended in 1984. Left alone, she leads a private life, and consequently, very little is known about her.
What Happened To Flip Wilson’s Ex-wife?
As stated, Tuanchai Mackenzie was only another American hostess until her marriage to Flip Wilson, a comedian, and actor. He was famous around the late 60s and early 70s for his variety series The Flip Wilson’s Show
Information regarding how the two became an item was never disclosed to the media. What is known however is that they got married sometime in the late 70s precisely on December 14, 1979, in a secret ceremony held at a Japanese garden in Las Vegas. Tuanchai Mackenzie and Flip Wilson shared lovely memories as a couple and were blessed with a child.
However, trouble began to brew in their marriage a few years later leading up to their separation. It’s an ironic coincidence that they got divorced on the same month they exchanged their vows precisely December 5, 1984. While details of what led to their split were never disclosed it has been linked to irreconcilable differences.
It’s been over three decades since the two went opposite ways and it’s also unfortunate that Flip Wilson is no more. Nonetheless, the question of Tuanchai Mackenzie’s whereabouts has remained elusive to the media since she left no clues. It can be presumed that she moved on to raise a family with someone or pursue a career while raising her child.
Here are Other Facts about Tuanchai Mackenzie You Should Know
1. A Brief Biography about Tuanchai Mackenzie
The ex-wife of Flip Wilson was born Tuanchai Mackenzie to her parents sometime in 1950 and she’s currently 74 years old. Details regarding her exact birth date have remained unknown to the media as a result of her overly private stance.
Also, there is no bit of information about her other family members, and educational pursuits except that she was raised in Los Angeles, California.
2. A Look at her Career
While many sites have reported that Tuanchai’s career is not known jukebugs.com uncovered she was an Oriental casino hostess who was mostly known as ‘Cookie’. She worked there for some years before getting married to Flip.
According to research, Tuanchai stooped working as a hostess following her marriage to Flip whose career was generating enough money to foot their bills.
3. She is a Mother of One
Although it’s not certain if Tuanchai birthed more children after her divorce from Flip Wilson. However, at the time they were married, she only had a daughter named whose identity is elusive to the media. It is believed that she was born between 1980-1983 and is likely to be in her 40s.
Before the birth of her son, her husband had at least four children from his previous marriage including David who is currently suffering from quadriplegic, Kelvin who is a golf player, Tamara, an actress, Stacy, a nurse and Michelle, a jewelry designer.
4. Tuanchai Mackenzie Was Involved in a Helium Balloon Crash a Year Before Her Divorce
Three years after Tuanchai tied the knot with her husband, precisely on May 9, 1983, a terrible event occurred in northwest Missouri. The mother of one was involved in a fatal accident as the helium balloon carrying four people crashed.
While two of the passengers escaped injury, Flip Wilson’s ex-wife and the second passenger identified as Capt. Nikki Caplan was said to have broken both legs in the accident. Though they were rushed to a hospital in Mount Ayr. Lowa, updates about their condition were never revealed.
5. Her Late Husband Was Previously Married to Other Women Before Her
Before Flip Wilson made Tuanchai his wife in 1979, he was previously married to two other women. He was first married to Lavenia Patricia Wilson in 1957 but their marriage lasted until the birth of their four children and was dissolved in 1967.
Moving on, he got into a de facto relationship with Blondell Pitman who is known as his common-law wife. She allegedly took care of Flip’s children from his first wife after he won custody of them.
6. Her Ex-Husband Flip Wilson Died as a Result of Liver Cancer
A few years after Tuanchai’s separation from her ex-husband, he was diagnosed with liver cancer which was said to be linked to his excessive drinking habits. He managed the disease for a while before he died at the age of 64 in Malibu, California.
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7. What is Tuanchai’s Net worth
As earlier stated, Tuanchai came into the spotlight as a result of her marriage to Flip Wilson and lived in his shadows until their separation. Nonetheless, she held her end as a hostess even though her net worth was never captured.
However, her ex-husband made quite a fortune while he lived. His career as an entertainer afforded him a comfortable livelihood. He gained popularity as the first black man to start a show in the 70s which was the second highest-rated show for a while. He also won a Globe award for the best actor in Television Series and subsequently Grammy Awards.
At the time of Flip Wilson’s death, he was estimated to be worth $25 million. The money was distributed among his biological children. Sources disclose that they were given $345,000 each.
While it’s not certain what became of his ex-wife Tuanchai, we can only presume that she went on to start a new life. However, following the injuries she sustained after the Helium balloon crash, she may have been subjected to external aid. Whatever, the case, fans are only hopeful that she’s alive and engaged with some grandma responsibilities.
