Della Beatrice Howard Robinson is best known as the second wife of Ray Charles. She married him in 1955 and the marriage lasted until 1977.
Della Beatrice Howard Robinson Biography
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Della Beatrice Howard Robinson |
| Known As | Della Bea Robinson |
| Year of Birth | Around 1929 |
| Age | Approximately mid-90s as of 2026 |
| Birthplace | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Profession | Gospel singer, Homemaker |
| Famous For | Second wife of Ray Charles |
| Spouse | Ray Charles (m. 1955 – div. 1977) |
| Marriage Duration | 22 years |
| Children | 3 sons: Ray Charles Robinson Jr., David Robinson, Robert Robinson |
| Total Children of Ray Charles | 12 (from multiple relationships) |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed |
| Public Presence | Private life, limited media appearances |
| Current Status | Lives privately, away from public attention |
Early life and background
Della Beatrice Howard grew up in the southern United States and is often described in profiles as having roots in Texas. Biographical pieces report she was born around 1929 and raised in a church-influenced environment.
Her early years included involvement with gospel music and church choirs. Several modern accounts describe her as a gospel singer before she became publicly known through her marriage.
Family records and genealogy sites list her under variants of the name Della Bea or Della Beatrice Howard. Public records and family trees note the same core details but sometimes differ on exact dates and places.
Contemporary profiles that examine Ray Charles and his circle place Della within a working class, faith-oriented background. These sources emphasize family life and community ties rather than show-business fame before marriage.
Meeting Ray Charles and marriage
Della met Ray Charles in Texas in 1954, according to multiple biographies of Charles. Their meeting is recorded as occurring while Ray was working and touring in the South.
They married on April 5, 1955, and Della became a central figure in Ray Charles’ household over the next two decades. The couple settled and raised children while Charles’ career grew.
Profiles of Ray Charles note that Della was usually called Bea by family and friends. The nickname appears in interviews, photographs, and later retrospectives about Charles’ personal life.
Public records and later biographies show the marriage lasted 22 years, with the couple divorcing in 1977. That span coincided with major phases of Charles’ recording and touring career.
Family and children
Della and Ray Charles had three sons together. Their first son, Ray Charles Robinson Jr., was born in 1955 soon after their marriage.
Their second son, David Robinson, was born in 1958 and grew up in the Los Angeles area with his siblings. Records and reports list David as part of the family that Charles raised with Della.
The couple’s third son, Robert Robinson, was born in 1960. Biographical summaries and family lists consistently name these three as Della’s children with Ray Charles.
Ray Charles fathered other children with different partners, bringing the total to twelve. Della’s three sons are listed among those twelve and appeared in family gatherings and public mentions in later decades.
For more insight into Ray Charles’ extended family and lesser-known children, read about Mae Akins Roth, one of his daughters whose life remained largely private despite her father’s global fame.
Public life and role
Della’s public profile was modest compared with her husband’s celebrity. She rarely sought the spotlight and is more often described in sources as a family figure and support at home.
Before her marriage, accounts point to a gospel music background, and some sources mention local singing or church involvement. These details appear in feature articles that focus on Ray Charles’ personal life.
During the marriage, Della managed household responsibilities and raised the children while Charles toured. Contemporary accounts and later profiles emphasize this domestic role rather than a public career in entertainment.
Film and photo archives show Della at family events and in publicity-era photographs of Ray Charles and his household. These images form part of the visual record that documents their life together.
Strains in the marriage and divorce
Biographical sources on Ray Charles report that substance addiction and extramarital relationships contributed to strain in the marriage. These pressures are cited in Charles’ own accounts and in later biographies.
Della filed for divorce in 1977, ending a 22-year marriage. The formal separation came after years of difficulties tied to Charles’ personal struggles while maintaining an active recording and touring life.
Accounts of the separation describe it as part of a broader pattern in Charles’ life that affected family stability. Multiple biographies and retrospectives reference the divorce in timelines of Charles’ personal history.
After the divorce, Della maintained a lower public profile. Media coverage about her personal life becomes limited, with most later mentions appearing in family histories and retrospective pieces about Ray Charles.
You can also explore the story of Diane Clohesy, who was closely connected to Ray Charles during the later years of his life.
Later years and legacy
Della Beatrice Howard Robinson is remembered primarily through the context of Ray Charles’ life and legacy. Historical summaries and family records list her as the mother of three of his children and as his partner for two decades.
She appears in archival interviews and family photos used in documentaries and articles about Ray Charles. Those materials contribute to the public record that preserves her place in the artist’s biography.
Later coverage of the Charles family highlights Della’s role in raising children and keeping the home during a demanding career. Sources that profile the musician’s private life routinely mention her support and the family structure she helped maintain.
Genealogy sites and modern profiles continue to collect records about Della for family history purposes. These records help researchers and readers verify basic facts about dates, places, and family relationships.
Lesser known facts and clarifications
Della is sometimes listed under different name formats in public records, including Della Bea and Della Beatrice Howard. These variants appear across interviews, genealogies, and archival captions.
Not all biographical summaries agree on minor details such as exact birth locations or the year of birth. Some modern articles give a 1929 birth year while other records do not list a precise date. Researchers should consult primary records where possible.
Many detailed claims about her private life are drawn from later feature articles and family recollections rather than from an independent public career. As a result, some biographical entries rely on secondary reporting.
Photographs, family lists, and archived interviews remain the most consistent sources for facts about Della. For readers seeking confirmation, established family records and major biographies of Ray Charles are the most reliable starting points.
