SimplePlans – The Timely Dose of Wisdom (Jun 2025).
Home » Gretchen Johnson Today: Her Biography and Latest Facts.
Gretchen Johnson Today: Her Biography and Latest Facts.
Gretchen Johnson is perhaps one of the most famous contestants of the game show Family Feud. Like many contestants, she walked on to the set for the chance of a lifetime and enjoyable experience. Little did she know that she would leave with more than she had bargained for. Here’s all you need to know about Gretchen Johnson Today.
The lady first appeared on Family Feud with her family and siblings. Johnson immediately caught the attention of the then host of the show, the late Richard Dawson.
They met in 1981 when she was 26 years old and went on to date for a few years before getting married in 1991.
Because Dawson was the famous one of the two, their three-decade romance centered on him. Very little was known about Gretchen, but it was said that she led a simple life. Unlike many celebrity wives, she chose to stay out of the public eye.
She was born in 1955, as the third and last-born child. She has two sisters; Wendy and Heidi Johnson. Gretchen grew up in Manhattan Beach, California, before moving to San Diego, California, for her higher studies.
When her family participated in an episode of Family Feud, she met Dawson, who she would marry later.
Interesting Facts.
Gretchen Johnson has a strange avoidance of foods that start the letter ‘A.’ This was a discovery made by Dawson during their first date, where she avoided eating the asparagus that he had prepared.
She was also responsible for ending the famous ‘kiss the contestant’ bit that Dawson had done on Family Feud for years. The host would kiss female contestants to calm their nerves or for good luck. He even kissed Gretchen when she participated. It was considered the start of their undeniable chemistry.
This practice was widely accepted, and the female contestants did not mind. Moreover, other game show hosts had begun to copy this charismatic trend that the creator eventually ended. After he got married to Gretchen, Dawson ended the practice. Later in the interviews, he revealed that the tradition ended as a promise to his new bride.
Gretchen Johnson doing now?
Three decades of love and marriage came to an end when Richard Dawson passed away. He had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and was battling the symptoms with regular trips to the hospital. In 2012, he succumbed to the condition while admitted in the hospital. Richard passed away with his wife and children beside him in a bitter-sweet moment.
Right before his passing, Dawson’s net worth stood at 100 thousand dollars. After her husband’s death, Gretchen stayed out of the limelight and instead chose to focus on her family. She continued to live a simple life as she had done before marrying Dawson.
Her children, on the other hand (one biological daughter and two step-sons from Dawson’s previous marriage), have appeared to the media fondly remembering their father and how he met Johnson. They also spoke of their marriage and love story quoting both parents to being happy and satisfied.
