Patti Kendig is an American dancer and actress who became widely known through her marriage to actor Gavin MacLeod. Gavin was famous for playing Captain Merrill Stubing on the television series The Love Boat. Patti and Gavin had an unusual love story because they married, divorced, and later married each other again. Their Christian faith became an important part of their reconciliation and second marriage. This article covers Patti Kendig’s early life, career, relationship with Gavin, their divorce and remarriage, family life, Gavin’s death, and what is known about Patti today.
Quick Bio
| Full Name | Patti Kendig |
| Gender | Female |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Dancer and Actress |
| Famous For | Wife of Gavin MacLeod |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly confirmed |
| Age | Not reliably known |
| Birthplace | Not publicly confirmed |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Marital Status | Widowed |
| Husband | Gavin MacLeod |
| First Marriage to Gavin | 1974 |
| Divorce | 1981/1982 |
| Remarriage | 1985 |
| Children With Gavin | None |
| Stepchildren | Keith, David, Julie, and Meaghan MacLeod |
| Net Worth | Not publicly confirmed |
| Current Status | Lives a private life |
Early Life and Childhood
Very little reliable information is available about Patti Kendig’s early years because she has lived much of her life away from public attention. Her exact birth date and birthplace have not been clearly documented. One report has described her as being around 90 years old, but there is not enough reliable information to confirm her age. Details about her parents, siblings, childhood, and education are also limited. Patti was reportedly married before her relationship with Gavin MacLeod. Some reports also suggest that she had children from an earlier relationship, although their identities have not been reliably documented.
Patti Kendig’s Work in Entertainment
Before becoming known as Gavin MacLeod’s wife, Patti Kendig worked as a dancer. However, detailed records about her dancing career, including the places where she performed, are limited. Patti has also been described as an actress and reportedly made a small number of television appearances. These included an appearance connected with The Love Boat, the popular television series starring Gavin. Unlike her husband, Patti did not develop a highly public entertainment career. She generally stayed away from Hollywood attention and maintained a private lifestyle, even while married to one of television’s familiar stars.
Patti Kendig Meets Gavin MacLeod
Patti Kendig became an important part of Gavin MacLeod’s personal life during the 1970s. Gavin had previously been married to Joan Rootvik, a Rockette whom he met while working at Radio City Music Hall. Gavin and Joan divorced in 1972 after having four children together. Patti and Gavin later developed a relationship and decided to marry in 1974. Their relationship began during an important period in Gavin’s career and personal life. Although detailed information about exactly where or how Patti and Gavin first met is limited, their relationship eventually became one of the longest partnerships of Gavin’s life.
Who Was Gavin MacLeod?
Gavin MacLeod was a well-known American television actor whose birth name was Allan George See. He was born on February 28, 1931, in Mount Kisco, New York. After studying acting at Ithaca College and serving in the U.S. Air Force, he worked at Radio City Music Hall while building his acting career. Gavin became famous as Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He later gained even greater recognition as Captain Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat. His television career also included McHale’s Navy and appearances in several other popular American programs.
Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod’s First Marriage
Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod married for the first time in 1974, about two years after Gavin’s divorce from Joan Rootvik. Their early married life took place while Gavin’s entertainment career was becoming increasingly successful. During this period, Gavin also struggled with alcohol. Patti told People in 1978 that his behavior changed when he drank. According to her account, Gavin had promised before their marriage that he would stop drinking because he did not want alcohol to damage their relationship. Despite their efforts, other pressures eventually developed, and their first marriage did not permanently survive those difficulties.
Why Did Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod Divorce?
Gavin MacLeod’s growing television career placed pressure on his marriage to Patti. His role on The Love Boat became a major success, bringing demanding work schedules, travel, and promotional responsibilities. Gavin later accepted responsibility for some of their marital problems. He explained that he had placed his work ahead of Patti and believed he had failed to give her enough time. Their relationship eventually ended in divorce. Most reports place their divorce in 1982, although some accounts give 1981. At the time of their separation, Gavin apparently believed that his marriage and romantic relationship with Patti had permanently ended.
How Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod Reunited
Patti and Gavin experienced important personal changes after their divorce. During their separation, Patti became a born-again Christian and reportedly prayed for reconciliation with Gavin. Gavin experienced his own religious turning point in 1984 when his mother developed a brain cyst and needed surgery. He later said that he prayed to Jesus during this difficult period and promised to change his life. Gavin eventually decided to contact Patti. He recalled calling her on September 15, 1984, and asking whether they could become friends again. Their conversation led to a meeting and gradually opened the way for their reconciliation.
Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod’s Second Marriage
After reconnecting in 1984, Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod decided to give their relationship another chance. Their renewed relationship became serious, and the couple married for the second time in 1985. This marriage was very different from their first because both had experienced major personal and religious changes during their time apart. Patti reportedly gave Gavin a Bible that had already been engraved with his name, reflecting the importance of faith in their reunion. Their decision to remarry proved lasting. Their second marriage continued for approximately 36 years, ending only when Gavin died in May 2021.
Role of Christianity in Their Marriage
Christianity became a central part of Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod’s relationship after they reunited. Patti had become a born-again Christian during their separation, while Gavin later experienced his own religious transformation. Gavin believed that their shared faith helped them rebuild their marriage on a stronger foundation. He described their renewed relationship as a “threefold marriage,” referring to himself, Patti, and Jesus. The couple did not keep this experience entirely private. They also shared their story with other married couples and discussed how faith influenced their relationship. For them, Christianity became closely connected with forgiveness, reconciliation, and their second marriage.
Patti Kendig’s Role in Gavin MacLeod’s Family
Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod did not have children together during either of their marriages. Gavin, however, was already a father before marrying Patti. He had four children named Keith, David, Julie, and Meaghan MacLeod with his first wife, Joan Rootvik. Therefore, these children were Patti’s stepchildren rather than her biological children with Gavin. Some reports also state that Patti may have had children from a previous marriage before meeting Gavin, but reliable public details about them are limited. Because Patti kept her family life private, information about any children from her earlier relationship has not been clearly documented.
Patti Kendig’s Life With Gavin MacLeod
Although Gavin MacLeod spent decades in the public eye, Patti Kendig maintained a much quieter lifestyle. She occasionally accompanied her husband to Hollywood events but did not seek the same level of public attention. Patti and Gavin attended events including the TV Land Awards and Movieguide Awards in 2003. They were also photographed at the opening of Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All that year and attended another TV Land Awards event in 2004. Their long second marriage was strongly connected with their Christian faith, while Patti generally remained a private figure beside her famous husband throughout their years together.
Gavin MacLeod’s Death
Gavin MacLeod died on May 29, 2021, at his home in Palm Desert, California. He was 90 years old. His death ended a television career that had made him familiar to generations of viewers, particularly through The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat. His family and loved ones were reportedly around him near the time of his death. Patti was still married to Gavin when he died and became his widow after approximately 36 years of their second marriage. Their relationship had survived an earlier divorce and separation before becoming a lasting partnership following their remarriage in 1985.
Where Is Patti Kendig Now?
Since Gavin MacLeod’s death, Patti Kendig has continued to maintain a very private life. There is little reliable public information about her present activities, residence, professional work, or recent appearances. This is consistent with how Patti lived during much of her marriage, as she rarely sought public attention despite Gavin’s fame. She also does not appear to have a widely recognized verified public social media presence. Because reliable updates about her life after 2021 are limited, claims about her current activities should be treated carefully. What is clear is that Patti has remained largely outside the entertainment spotlight.
Patti Kendig’s Estimated Net Worth
Patti Kendig’s personal net worth has not been reliably documented. Although she worked as a dancer and has been described as an actress, there is not enough public financial information to calculate her earnings or assets accurately. Her long marriage to a successful television actor has naturally created interest in her financial position, but Gavin MacLeod’s career does not provide reliable evidence of Patti’s individual wealth. For this reason, assigning her a specific net worth would be misleading without stronger information. Patti has kept her financial affairs private, just as she has kept many other details about her personal life away from public attention.
Conclusion
Patti Kendig is remembered publicly mainly for her long relationship with Gavin MacLeod, but their story involved much more than a typical Hollywood marriage. Patti worked as a dancer and actress before becoming closely associated with Gavin. They first married in 1974, divorced in the early 1980s, and reunited after important changes in their lives. Their shared Christian faith became central to their reconciliation, leading them to marry again in 1985. Their second marriage lasted until Gavin’s death in 2021. Since then, Patti has remained private, leaving much of her current life outside public view.
(FAQs)
Who is Patti Kendig?
Patti Kendig is an American dancer and actress best known as the wife of actor Gavin MacLeod. She gained public attention through their unusual relationship, which included marriage, divorce, reconciliation, and a second marriage.
When did Patti Kendig marry Gavin MacLeod?
Patti Kendig first married Gavin MacLeod in 1974. They divorced in the early 1980s but later reconnected. After rebuilding their relationship and sharing a strong Christian faith, they married again in 1985.
Did Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod have children?
No, Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod did not have children together. Gavin had four children, Keith, David, Julie, and Meaghan, from his earlier marriage to his first wife, Joan Rootvik.
Why did Patti Kendig and Gavin MacLeod divorce?
Their marriage faced problems as Gavin’s acting career became increasingly demanding. Gavin later said that he focused too much on his work and did not give Patti enough time, which contributed to their separation.
Where is Patti Kendig now?
Patti Kendig has remained mostly outside the public eye since Gavin MacLeod died in 2021. Reliable information about her current activities is limited, and she appears to continue living a quiet and private life.
