Born Nancy Maginnes and famed as Nancy Kissinger, Henry Kissinger’s widowed wife was his second. They were married from 1974 until Henry’s death in November 2023. Nancy, 91, is acclaimed in her own right as a former long-time aide to New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller.
That’s not all about her! She is also an American philanthropist and socialite, the daughter of Albert Maginnes – a former professional football player, and the niece of Dave Maginnes.
Nancy was born into Fame a Few Years Before Henry Immigrated to the US
Henry Kissinger’s wife was born Nancy Sharon Maginnes in Manhattan on April 13, 1934. She was born only 4 years before her late husband Henry Kissinger moved to the United States in 1938 when his family fled Nazi Germany.
Nancy who was raised in White Plains, New York, was born into a family of notable people. Her parents were Agnes and Albert Bristol Maginnes. Her father was a famous footballer. He started his career in 1920, long before Nancy was born.
He played for Canton Bulldogs in 1920 and later New York Brickley Giants in 1921.
Prior to that, he had a high school career playing for Boston (MA) English. He also played for Lehigh during his college career.
Nancy is also the niece of another former footballer, Dave Maginnes. He played in the National Football League in 1921 with the New York Brickley Giants alongside his brother and Nancy’s father Albert.
Henry Kissinger’s Wife Nancy Had a Successful Career Before She was Married
The 1934-born Nancy had several career paths before she became married to Kissinger.
Having been recommended by Henry, she worked for a long time as an aide to New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller. She was also Kissinger’s researcher on a Rockefeller task force and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
Nancy Kissinger also moved to become a director of international studies for Rockefeller’s Commission on Critical Choices for Americans.
Before embarking on these career journeys, Nancy attended different schools. She went to The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York. In addition, she attended Mount Holyoke College, a private liberal arts women’s college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. She graduated from the college in 1955, obtaining a degree in History.
Subsequently, she headed to the renowned Harvard University.
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How She Met and Married Kissinger
While she was attending Harvard as a student, Nancy met Henry who was at the time a professor. On March 30, 1974, the couple were married in Arlington, Virginia.
The couple’s union lasted 49 years until Henry Kissinger died at their home in Kent, Connecticut on November 29, 2023. He was 100 years old at the time of his demise.
Before Nancy, Kissinger was Married and Had 2 Children
Long before Nancy Maginnes Kissinger became married to Henry, her late husband had been married to a German-born woman named Anneliese “Ann” Fleischer. They were high school lovers that sustained their love until marriage.
They were married on November 6, 1949, and later divorced after 15 years in 1964. Before then, they had two children – Elizabeth Kissinger (born in 1959) and David Kissinger.
Their daughter Elizabeth keeps a considerably quiet life while David is notable as the former executive of NBC Universal Television Studio and later headed Conaco, Conan O’Brien production as its president.
David is also a Yale graduate who worked in England as a speechwriter in England.
Henry Dated Ingeborg Bachmann for a Few Years
According to a Wikipedia report, Kissinger met Austrian poet Ingeborg Bachmann in 1955 while he was still married to his first wife.
They met at Harvard and had a relationship for a few years before they fell apart.
Before that, Bachmann’s partner was Paul Celan from 1950 until 1952 and later in 1957 after her relationship with Henry ended.
Later, in 1958, Ingeborg Bachmann became the partner of Swiss playwright and novelist Max Frisch. They were together until 1963.
