Home
finance
Inside billionaire Warren Buffett's unconventional marriage, which included an open arrangement and 3-way Christmas cards

Inside billionaire Warren Buffett's unconventional marriage, which included an open arrangement and 3-way Christmas cards

According to his daughter Susie, Buffett had been thinking about marrying Astrid for some time after his first wife's death. "He's been talking about this for a while," she told the New York Times. "It's something he wanted to do."

Buffett and Astrid married in 2006, on his 76th birthday. The wedding was a modest event, and followed by a reception at the Bonefish Grill, a casual seafood chain.

Source: The New York Times

After a battle with cancer, Susan passed away from a stroke in 2004. She and Warren were visiting friends in Cody, Wyoming at the time.

Source: CNBC, CNN

The three remained close and essentially functioned as a trio. "Astrid and my mother were very close — really loved each other," Susie Buffett told the New York Times. According to TIME, Buffett would often say, "Susie put me together, and Astrid keeps me together."

Source: TIME

Then, the following year, Susan introduced her husband to restaurant hostess and Latvian immigrant Astrid Menks. They had become friends when Susan began singing at the restaurant. Astrid quickly moved in and became Buffett's companion.

Source: The New York Times

Buffett's children worried that their father would be able to get along without their mother. "I was concerned about him being able to function in the normal world," Susie Buffett said, according to Business Insider.

Source: Business Insider

"It was definitely 95% my fault ... I just wasn't attuned enough to her, and she'd always been perfectly attuned to me," he said, according to the New York Daily News. "She kept me together for a lot of years ... It shouldn't have happened."

Source: The New York Daily News

The couple began living separately in 1977, when Susan left for California to pursue a singing career. Buffett was reportedly devastated by her departure.

Source: CNBC

After Berkshire Hathaway bought a stake in the Washington Post, publisher Katherine Graham and Buffett struck up a flirtatious relationship — which included jaunts to Martha's Vineyard and Graham throwing her keys to the investor during parties. Susan was reportedly furious and began an affair with a tennis instructor.

Source: CNBC

According to a TIME article, the couple got along well in many regards, but their relationship was strained by Buffett's intense work ethic.

Source: TIME

The couple had three children together. Susie, the eldest, is a philanthropist. Howard, the middle child, is a businessman and politician who was recently sworn in as sheriff of Macon County, Illinois. Peter, the youngest, is a musician.

Source: NBC, Herald and Review

He continued to visit the Thompsons, even after he left to go to business school at Columbia University. Eventually, Buffett's musical wooing paid off. Susan and Warren were married in 1952.

Source: Hear Nebraksa

Buffett formed a friendship with her father Bill, a professor and mandolin player who knew his parents. They would jam out together in the Thompson residence, giving Buffett the opportunity to call on Susan.

Source: Hear Nebraksa

The next year, Buffett met Susan Thompson. She was the room mate of Buffett's sister Roberta at Northwestern University. Like Betty, she was also already seeing someone else.

Source: Hear Nebraksa, Washington Post

Betty wasn't swayed. But Buffett's hobby — which he continues to showcase at parties and meetings — paid off in the long run.

Source: Hear Nebraksa

Before he met Susan, Warren busied himself trying to win the heart of a woman named Betty Gallagher in 1949. She happened to be dating a ukulele player, so Buffett took up the instrument too.

Source: Hear Nebraksa

Susan's grandfather once ran a campaign for Republican United States Representative Howard Buffett, Warren's grandfather. It apparently didn't go well. Their daughter Susie Buffett told Business Insider that it was "the only time my grandpa Buffett lost."

Source: Business Insider

Buffett's connection to his first wife Susan goes back to long before they were even born.

Source: Business Insider

Inside billionaire Warren Buffett's unconventional marriage, which included an open arrangement and 3-way Christmas cards

According to his daughter Susie, Buffett had been thinking about marrying Astrid for some time after his first wife's death. "He's been talking about this for a while," she told the New York Times. "It's something he wanted to do."

Buffett and Astrid married in 2006, on his 76th birthday. The wedding was a modest event, and followed by a reception at the Bonefish Grill, a casual seafood chain.

After a battle with cancer, Susan passed away from a stroke in 2004. She and Warren were visiting friends in Cody, Wyoming at the time.

The three remained close and essentially functioned as a trio. "Astrid and my mother were very close — really loved each other," Susie Buffett told the New York Times. According to TIME, Buffett would often say, "Susie put me together, and Astrid keeps me together."

Then, the following year, Susan introduced her husband to restaurant hostess and Latvian immigrant Astrid Menks. They had become friends when Susan began singing at the restaurant. Astrid quickly moved in and became Buffett's companion.

Buffett's children worried that their father would be able to get along without their mother. "I was concerned about him being able to function in the normal world," Susie Buffett said, according to Business Insider.

"It was definitely 95% my fault ... I just wasn't attuned enough to her, and she'd always been perfectly attuned to me," he said, according to the New York Daily News. "She kept me together for a lot of years ... It shouldn't have happened."

The couple began living separately in 1977, when Susan left for California to pursue a singing career. Buffett was reportedly devastated by her departure.

According to a TIME article, the couple got along well in many regards, but their relationship was strained by Buffett's intense work ethic.

The couple had three children together. Susie, the eldest, is a philanthropist. Howard, the middle child, is a businessman and politician who was recently sworn in as sheriff of Macon County, Illinois. Peter, the youngest, is a musician.

He continued to visit the Thompsons, even after he left to go to business school at Columbia University. Eventually, Buffett's musical wooing paid off. Susan and Warren were married in 1952.

Buffett formed a friendship with her father Bill, a professor and mandolin player who knew his parents. They would jam out together in the Thompson residence, giving Buffett the opportunity to call on Susan.

The next year, Buffett met Susan Thompson. She was the room mate of Buffett's sister Roberta at Northwestern University. Like Betty, she was also already seeing someone else.

Betty wasn't swayed. But Buffett's hobby — which he continues to showcase at parties and meetings — paid off in the long run.

Before he met Susan, Warren busied himself trying to win the heart of a woman named Betty Gallagher in 1949. She happened to be dating a ukulele player, so Buffett took up the instrument too.

Susan's grandfather once ran a campaign for Republican United States Representative Howard Buffett, Warren's grandfather. It apparently didn't go well. Their daughter Susie Buffett told Business Insider that it was "the only time my grandpa Buffett lost."

Buffett's connection to his first wife Susan goes back to long before they were even born.

Popular Right Now