Stacey Weitzman, Henry Winkler’s Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Getty Stacey Weitzman and Henry Winkler

Stacey Weitzman has been married to actor Henry Winkler for more than 40 years. They tied the knot in 1978, while Winkler was starring as Fonzie on Happy Days.

Weitzman and Winkler have a daughter named Zoe and a son named Max. Weitzman had her first son, Jed, while married to entertainment lawyer Howard Weitzman.

Here’s what you need to know about Weitzman:

1. Weitzman & Winkler Say Strong Willpower & Communication Skills Are the Secret to a Long-Lasting Marriage

Stacey Weitzman and Henry Winkler have one of the longest-lasting marriages in Hollywood. During a red-carpet interview in September 2019, host Jenny McCarthy joked to Weitzman that most celebrities get “crankier” the longer they stay in the business but that Winkler only gets nicer. She also asked Weitzman about the secret to a lasting, happy marriage.

Weitzman agreed with McCarthy’s assessment and described herself as “the luckiest.” As for the secret to a successful relationship, Weitzman responded that marriages survive if the individuals are committed to making them last. She answered, “Henry likes to say communication. I like to say just stubborn staying.” Winkler echoed that, adding that having a strong will and “saying yes” were important elements.

Weitzman and Winkler also opened up about their four-decade relationship in an interview with People magazine in April 2019. Weitzman admitted that marriage takes work but only grows stronger as problems are resolved. “The most wonderful thing is to really be able to grow with someone. We’re not the same people we are when we got married. But certain of the tenets you hold dear are still intact… There are glitches in the road, and you get a little off-kilter, but if you have the ability and the stick-to-itiveness based on love, then your friendship and your relationship only gets better.”

2. Winkler Recalls Weitzman Was Wearing Purple Parachute Pants When They First Met at a Clothing Store

Getty Stacey Weitzman and Henry Winkler

Henry Winkler met his future wife at Jerry Magnin’s clothing shop in Beverly Hills in 1976. Stacey Furstman Weitzman was working for a public relations firm at the time and the store was one of her clients, People reported in 2001.

Winkler visited the store to find a sport coat. He explained in 2019 that he’ll never forget the moment he first saw Weitzman. “She was wearing purple parachute pants and she had red hair and without her even saying a word, I thought, ‘Woah, beautiful woman standing in front of me.'”

Weitzman helped Winkler pick out a style. When he returned one week later to pick it up, he asked Weitzman if she would be interested in grabbing a soda with him. They began dating and moved in together after only a few weeks. Weitzman’s son, Jed, was a young child at the time and moved in as well.

Weitzman and Winkler got married in 1978 in Manhattan. The ceremony took place at the synagogue where Winkler had his bar mitzvah.

3. Weitzman Launched a Public Relations Firm After Graduating From USC

GettyActor Henry Winkler and wife Stacey Weitzman

Stacey Furstman Weitzman Winkler was born in November 1947 and raised in West Los Angeles alongside one brother named Scott. Her mother, Belvy Cooper, taught art at Beverly Hills High and later, fifth grade at Franklin Elementary School in Santa Monica.

Cooper met her future husband, Edward Furstman, on the steps of Royce Hall at UCLA while they were both students. Furstman grew up in La Crosse, Wisconsin, before moving to southern California for college. He served in the U.S. Army for four years, worked as a dentist and taught at the USC School of Dentistry.

Weitzman stayed relatively close to home for college. She graduated from USC, according to a People magazine feature from 1978. She opened her own public relations firm after college and specialized in fashion. Her clients included jewelry company Van Cleef & Arpels, clothing company Jag and retailer Jerry Magnin.

4. Weitzman & Winkler Raised Three Children & Even Hosted Their Daughter’s Wedding In Their Backyard

Getty Actor Henry Winkler (C) with son Max Winkler (R) and daughter Zoe Emily Winkler in 2006

Stacey Furstman Weitzman married entertainment lawyer Howard Weitzman in 1969. They had one son together named Jed before divorcing in 1976, which was the same year she met Winkler for the first time.

After tying the knot in 1978, Weitzman and Winkler had two more children. Their daughter, Zoe, was born in September 1980. She earned her degree from Loyola Marymount University and became a nursery school teacher. The mother of one of her students introduced Zoe to her now-husband, Robert Reinis. After briefly breaking up, they got married in 2009.

According to the wedding announcement in the New York Times, Weitzman and Winkler grilled Reinis for more than an hour when he asked for their permission to propose. Weitzman asked him, “What’s changed? How are you going to take care of our daughter? What makes you think you’re ready for a commitment now?” The morning he proposed, Weitzman was waiting outside of her daughter’s apartment to give her a congratulatory hug. The wedding took place in the Winkler’s backyard in front of nearly 300 guests that included Winkler’s Happy Days co-star Ron Howard and actor Jonah Hill.

Weitzman and Winkler’s son, Max Daniel Winkler, was born in August 1983 and followed his father’s footsteps into the entertainment industry. According to his IMDB profile, Max has been working as a director, producer and writer since at least 2006. His directing credits include TV episodes of shows including Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl, Fresh Off the Boat and Clark and Michael.

Weitzman’s son from her first marriage, Jed, grew up to become a talent manager. According to a 2001 feature in People magazine, Jed graduated from Georgetown University after struggling with dyslexia as a child.

Winkler and Weitzman also have five grandchildren.

5. Weitzman Is a Breast Cancer Survivor

GettyHenry Winkler and Stacey Weitzman in 2016

Weitzman has battled and beaten breast cancer twice. She was first diagnosed in 2000. According to the New York Times, the revelation came after she and Winkler’s daughter, Zoe, moved back in with them after spending two years of college in Wisconsin.

Weitzman underwent treatment and went into remission. Zoe said that after Weitzman’s treatments were over, her parents told her, “We love you, but you need to move out.”

The cancer returned in 2007. Weitzman had a double mastectomy that year and has been cancer-free ever since.

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