Nancy Sinatra Sr., the first wife of Frank Sinatra, has died. The mother of three children — Nancy, Frank Jr. and Tina — with the legendary musician passed away on Friday at the age of 101.
Nancy Barbaro Sinatra, was married to Frank from 1939 to 1951 as he rose from singing waiter to a pop music sensation. A posting on Nancy Sinatra Jr.’s website said her mother died at 6:02 p.m. on Friday. “This may be the saddest post I’ve ever had to write,” Nancy Jr. wrote. “She fought hard to remain on this earth but time got the better of her.”
She also tweeted the news on Friday night, calling her mother “the light of my life.”
My mother passed away peacefully tonight at the age of 101. She was a blessing and the light of my life. Godspeed, Momma. Thank you for everything. 😢💙
— Nancy Sinatra (@NancySinatra) July 14, 2018
The Associated Press published an obituary for Sinatra on Saturday and detailed her life after her divorce from Sinatra in 1951.
After the gossip over the divorce and Gardner marriage died down, Nancy Sinatra devoted herself to family and numerous celebrity friends, largely withdrawing from the spotlight. She not only outlived her husband, who died in 1998, but her son, who died in 2016.
She is credited, under the name Nancy Barbato, on the Internet Movie Database with just two TV and film appearances, in her daughter Nancy’s 1975 concert film, “Nancy and Lee in Las Vegas,” and in 1974 on her friend Dinah Shore’s talk show.
In later years she would become known as Nancy Sr., especially after daughter Nancy became a 1960s singing star in her own right with “These Boots Are Made For Walking” and other hit songs.
Sinatra never remarried, though it was said that she and her former husband were friendly after their divorce.
