Golden Bachelorstar Gerry Turner has his family’s support amid his journey to find love on the ABC reality series.
Gerry, who was announced as the first-ever Golden Bachelor in July 2023, shared two daughters, Jenny and Angie, with his late wife, Toni.
Gerry and Toni got married in 1972 and enjoyed “43 wonderful years together,” that was “full of love, full of love, full of activity,” he shared during an August 2023 Golden Bachelor teaser. “We had two daughters and I now have two wonderful granddaughters.”
Gerry explained that they bought their “dream house” 2017 shortly before Toni got sick and suddenly passed away.
When it comes to his stint as the first-ever Golden Bachelor lead, Gerry said that his wife would be “very pleased” and “very happy” with the show.
ABC/Brian Bowen Smith
“I have a picture of her in my walk-in closet, so every night I’m in there and I see her picture,” he shared on the “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast in July 2023. “It’s the only one now that I have in the house and in the mornings, I see her picture and you know, we talk.”
Amid his whirlwind rise to fame, Gerry said he’s been asking his late wife: “So what do you think of this? Am I doing the right thing? … And I really have strong positive feelings about it.”
Gerry found love with Theresa Nist on the show, and the twosome got engaged during the season finale. They went on to tie the knot in January 2024 but announced their split three months later.
Keep scrolling to learn more about Gerry’s family:
Gerry’s Late Wife Toni
Gerry and Toni were high school sweethearts who moved from Iowa to Indiana shortly before her untimely death in 2017.
“We went to the emergency room, and she had a bacterial infection that infected her kidneys and infested her liver,” he recalled in a video shared by ABC in August 2023. “And so, I took my wife to the emergency room on July 7 and she passed away on July 15. Now every time I look at [the lake outside my house] I go, ‘This is her dream. This is what she deserves. Why am I standing here alone?’”
ABC/Brian Bowen Smith
Gerry’s 2 Daughters
Gerry and Toni welcomed two daughters, Jenny and Angie, during their lengthy marriage.
“My dad is just such a fun guy. He’s so personable and lovable,” Angie gushed in a Golden Bachelor teaser. “He’s so kind and he has so much to give, he just deserves to find that in somebody else.”
During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Gerry admitted that his daughters and granddaughters “were worried that I was going to be that guy that was kissing everybody on the first night.”
He continued: “And I said, ‘Nope, I’m not going to kiss anyone on the first night. You’re not going to see that. Maybe not even as we get into it.’ Well, as you’ll see, I failed on the very first night, but I don’t feel bad about it at all.”
Gerry’s 2 Granddaughters
Gerry’s granddaughters are named Payton and Charlee.
“They are genuinely excited and thrilled,” Gerry told Variety of his family in August 2023. “My granddaughters have had guests to my house since this all started, and they pick their friends that are big fans of the show.”
