Marta Fitzgerald: The Untold Story of Rush Limbaugh’s Ex-Wife

Marta Fitzgerald is an American journalist, writer, former publisher, and former aerobics instructor who became widely known through her marriage to conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh. Many readers search for Marta Fitzgerald to learn about her background, career, children, marriages, and life after leaving the public spotlight. She was Limbaugh’s third wife, and their marriage lasted for about ten years before ending in divorce. Before and during that period, Marta also pursued her own professional interests in journalism, publishing, and fitness. This biography explores Marta Fitzgerald’s early background, professional journey, relationship with Rush Limbaugh, family life, divorce, properties, and what happened after their marriage ended.

Quick Bio

Marta Fitzgerald’s Early Life and Background

Marta Fitzgerald was born on December 10, 1960, in Titusville, Florida, United States. Her Florida background would remain important throughout different stages of her adult life. Long before becoming known as Rush Limbaugh’s wife, Marta developed interests in fitness, writing, and journalism. She worked as an aerobics instructor at one point, showing that her professional interests were not limited to the media industry. Her life changed considerably during the 1990s as she moved closer to journalism and eventually became romantically involved with Limbaugh. Although her marriage brought considerable public exposure, Marta continued to explore her own professional interests rather than building her entire identity around her famous husband.

Marta Fitzgerald’s Career in Journalism and Fitness

Marta Fitzgerald had experience in both fitness and journalism. Before becoming closely associated with the publishing world, she worked as an aerobics instructor. In 1993, she received an internship at the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville. This opportunity gave her experience in a professional newspaper environment and reflected her interest in media and writing. Marta later moved into publishing and editing, attempting to create a publication aimed at younger readers. Her career therefore followed several different paths rather than one traditional profession. Fitness, journalism, writing, editing, and publishing all became parts of her professional story. These experiences also show that she had established personal ambitions outside her relationship with Rush Limbaugh.

Marta Fitzgerald’s Magazine Publishing Venture

One of Marta Fitzgerald’s most interesting professional projects came in 1997 when she launched a magazine called Vent. The publication was designed for young adults between the ages of 18 and 24. Marta worked as a publisher and editor, giving her an opportunity to turn her journalism interests into a larger independent venture. The project, however, had a very short life. The venture ended after only three issues and did not develop into a long-running publication. Marta later returned to teaching aerobics classes. Although the magazine did not last, the project remains an important part of her professional background because it demonstrated her willingness to pursue publishing while she was married to a nationally recognized media personality.

Marta Fitzgerald’s First Marriage and Children

Before Rush Limbaugh entered her life, Marta was married to Tom Fitzgerald. The couple had two children together, a son and a daughter. Marta has kept information about her children away from widespread public attention, allowing them to maintain private lives despite her later connection with a major American media figure. Her first marriage eventually ended, with Marta and Tom divorcing in 1992. This period became an important turning point because Marta had already started communicating with Rush Limbaugh before her first marriage formally ended. Her children remained part of her family life as she entered a new relationship and later married Limbaugh. Rush and Marta themselves did not have children together during their ten-year marriage.

How Did Marta Fitzgerald Meet Rush Limbaugh?

Marta Fitzgerald’s connection with Rush Limbaugh reportedly began in 1990 through CompuServe, an early online communication service. Using the screen name “Jacksonville Jaguar,” Marta contacted Limbaugh while seeking advice about challenging a university professor’s criticism of former President Ronald Reagan. Limbaugh did not respond to her initial communication. Marta then sent another message criticizing him for ignoring her, which finally attracted his attention. The two began communicating back and forth, and their correspondence eventually developed into a personal relationship. The story is especially interesting because their connection started online years before internet dating and social media became normal parts of everyday relationships. Marta divorced Tom Fitzgerald in 1992 and later began dating Limbaugh.

Marta Fitzgerald and Rush Limbaugh’s Relationship

As Marta and Rush Limbaugh became closer, their relationship moved beyond letters and online communication. Marta accompanied Limbaugh to important events and trips, including the Super Bowl and visits to places such as Israel and New Orleans. Limbaugh was already an influential radio host, meaning Marta increasingly found herself connected with a highly visible public figure. Their relationship developed during an important period in Limbaugh’s career, when his influence in American talk radio was growing rapidly. Despite their different backgrounds, the relationship became serious enough to lead to marriage. Marta subsequently became Limbaugh’s third wife and spent approximately a decade married to him, longer than either of his first two marriages.

Marta Fitzgerald and Rush Limbaugh’s Wedding

Marta Fitzgerald married Rush Limbaugh on May 27, 1994. Their wedding was held at the Virginia home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who officiated the ceremony. The occasion included notable guests, including William Bennett. The marriage placed Marta more firmly in the public spotlight because of Limbaugh’s national profile. For Rush, it was his third marriage following earlier marriages to Roxy Maxine McNeely and Michelle Sixta. Marta entered the marriage after her divorce from Tom Fitzgerald. Despite the attention surrounding Limbaugh, Marta continued pursuing some of her own interests during their years together. Their union lasted around ten years, making it a significant chapter in the personal lives of both Marta and Rush.

Their Life in Palm Beach, Florida

Marta Fitzgerald and Rush Limbaugh spent part of their married life surrounded by considerable wealth. In 1998, Limbaugh purchased an oceanfront compound in Palm Beach, Florida, for approximately $3.9 million. The estate later became strongly associated with the radio host and his luxurious lifestyle. Marta lived there with Limbaugh during their marriage. She also purchased a property at 108 Mediterranean Road in 2000 for approximately $2.3 million. These real estate purchases reflected the financial circumstances surrounding the couple during the height of Limbaugh’s broadcasting career. The Palm Beach estate remained particularly important to Limbaugh for years after his marriage to Marta ended and later became a valuable part of the property story surrounding his estate.

Why Did Marta Fitzgerald and Rush Limbaugh Divorce?

After approximately ten years of marriage, Marta Fitzgerald and Rush Limbaugh separated in 2004. Limbaugh announced their separation on his radio program in June of that year. He described the decision as mutual and said the breakup was unrelated to his legal difficulties or his admitted struggles with painkiller addiction. Their divorce brought an end to Limbaugh’s third marriage. Unlike many celebrity separations, Marta did not build a highly public profile from the breakup. Instead, she gradually disappeared from regular media attention. The divorce marked an important transition in her life, allowing her to return to the privacy she largely maintains today. Rush eventually entered another relationship and remarried several years later.

What Happened to Marta Fitzgerald After the Divorce?

Marta Fitzgerald became much less visible after her marriage to Rush Limbaugh ended. Rather than continuing to use the attention surrounding her former husband, she stepped away from the spotlight. Her later years have consequently been much quieter than the period when she attended events with Limbaugh and was regularly identified as his wife. Her low-profile lifestyle has also created continued curiosity about where she is and what she does today. Marta’s story differs from many people connected with celebrities because she did not attempt to turn her former marriage into a permanent public career. Instead, she largely returned to private life after one of the most recognizable chapters of her personal history ended.

Rush Limbaugh’s Marriages After Marta Fitzgerald

Rush Limbaugh had four marriages during his lifetime. His first wife was Roxy Maxine McNeely, whom he married in 1977 before their marriage ended in 1980. He married Michelle Sixta in 1983, and their relationship ended in 1990. Marta became his third wife in 1994, and they remained married until 2004. Several years after separating from Marta, Limbaugh married Kathryn Adams in 2010. Kathryn remained his wife until his death in 2021. Marta therefore occupied an important place in Limbaugh’s personal history, particularly because their relationship covered approximately a decade of his highly successful broadcasting career and lasted longer than either of his first two marriages.

Marta Fitzgerald’s Children and Family Life

Marta Fitzgerald is the mother of two children from her first marriage to Tom Fitzgerald. She has a son and a daughter, but she has kept their personal lives largely separate from the attention attached to Rush Limbaugh. Marta and Limbaugh did not have children together. Her role as a mother existed before she became Limbaugh’s third wife, making her family story broader than her famous marriage. Her decision to keep her children away from widespread media attention is consistent with the private lifestyle she adopted after her divorce. While curiosity about celebrity families often creates continuing interest, Marta’s son and daughter have not become central public figures through their mother’s former connection with Limbaugh.

Marta Fitzgerald’s Net Worth

Marta Fitzgerald’s net worth has been estimated at around $5 million. Her financial story includes her work in journalism, publishing, and fitness, along with assets connected to the years surrounding her marriage to Rush Limbaugh. One notable purchase was the approximately $2.3 million home she acquired on Mediterranean Road in 2000. Limbaugh himself accumulated substantially greater wealth through his long broadcasting career and was estimated to be worth around $600 million when he died. Marta, however, followed a very different professional path. She never developed the same kind of commercial media empire. Her work included smaller ventures such as Vent magazine, journalism experience, editing, publishing, and teaching aerobics.

Marta Fitzgerald’s Life Away From Public Attention

Privacy has become one of the defining features of Marta Fitzgerald’s later life. During her relationship with Rush Limbaugh, she appeared at public events and attracted media interest because of her husband’s fame. After their marriage ended, that visibility changed considerably. She did not establish herself as a television personality or maintain a highly visible celebrity image. Instead, Marta largely disappeared from the entertainment and political media spotlight. This explains why people continue searching for information about her years after her divorce. Her story remains connected with Limbaugh, but her professional background in journalism, publishing, and fitness provides a fuller picture of a woman who had interests and experiences beyond being a famous broadcaster’s spouse.

Final Thoughts

Marta Fitzgerald became widely recognized because of her ten-year marriage to Rush Limbaugh, but her personal story includes much more than that relationship. Born in Titusville, Florida, she worked as an aerobics instructor, entered journalism, and later experimented with publishing through her magazine Vent. She was previously married to Tom Fitzgerald and became the mother of two children before marrying Limbaugh in 1994. Their unusual relationship began through early online communication and developed into Limbaugh’s longest marriage at that point in his life. After their 2004 divorce, Marta chose a much quieter path. Her decision to stay away from regular public attention has made her later life private while keeping readers interested in her story.

(FAQs)

How old is Marta Fitzgerald?

Marta Fitzgerald was born on December 10, 1960. Her age changes each December, and she remains best known for her former marriage to American radio host Rush Limbaugh.

Who was Marta Fitzgerald married to?

Marta Fitzgerald was first married to Tom Fitzgerald. After their divorce, she married Rush Limbaugh in May 1994. Marta and Limbaugh separated and divorced in 2004 after about ten years of marriage.

Does Marta Fitzgerald have children?

Yes. Marta Fitzgerald has two children, a son and a daughter, from her first marriage to Tom Fitzgerald. She did not have children with Rush Limbaugh during their marriage.

What does Marta Fitzgerald do for a living?

Marta has worked in several fields. She was an aerobics instructor and gained journalism experience before working as an editor and publisher. In 1997, she also launched the young-adult magazine Vent.

How did Marta Fitzgerald meet Rush Limbaugh?

Marta and Rush Limbaugh began communicating through CompuServe around 1990. Their early online correspondence gradually developed into a personal relationship, and the couple eventually married on May 27, 1994.

Where is Marta Fitzgerald now?

Marta Fitzgerald has maintained a private lifestyle since her divorce from Rush Limbaugh. She stepped away from the public attention that surrounded their marriage and has kept her later personal life largely outside the media spotlight.

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