Love Life With Chuck Berry

May 2024 · 4 minute read

Themetta Suggs may not have enjoyed as much fame as her husband, Chuck Berry, yet, she enjoyed a lifelong marriage with the father of rock and roll as he built a career of many decades. While Berry’s career exploits led to the release of about 20 studio albums, his wife was in the background giving him all the support he needed to attain the level he reached. Through their marriage, Suggs and the Maybellene crooner welcomed four children including, Darlin Ingrid Berry and Charles Berry Jr. Sadly, their union was cut short when Berry died on March 18, 2017.  

After 68 years of being married to one man, Suggs has seen the rise and fall of many celebrity relationships and that is why her lifelong marriage continues to pique the interest of many.  

Personal Profile of Themetta Suggs

How Themetta Met and Got Married to Chuck Berry  

97-year-old Themetta Suggs was born in St Louis Missouri like Chuck Berry. While details about how they met may be sketchy, we may not be wrong to assume it was from Sumner High School which they both attended in their hometown in Missouri. Reportedly, from the moment that they met, it was love at first sight. Howbeit, Chuck had several clashes with the law that even led to his being convicted of armed robbery, they did not allow Berry’s past to affect their relationship.  

Moving forward, Themetta and Chuck Berry finally got married on October 28, 1948, a year after his release from the reformatory institution where he was held. During their marriage, Berry’s musical career which he launched as a teenager expanded, and by the 50s, he became one of the sought-after musicians in the rock and roll scene. Through this, he released hit songs like Maybellene. Notably, Themetta remained in the background while supporting her husband.   

They Welcomed Four Children in the First Decade of their Marriage  

While Berry’s career was growing so also was his and Themetta’s family size. They welcomed four children between 1950 when Darlin Ingrid Berry was born and 1959 when the youngest, Melody Exes Berry-Estridge was born. Their other children are Charles Berry Jr. And Isa Lei Aloha Berry.   

Like Themetta or Toddy, as many refer to the celebrity wife, her children lead very quiet lives. This however does not take away the fact that Darlin and Charles Berry Kr. are also talented musicians like the Father of Rock and Roll. As you would easily find, Darlin is a skilled harmonica player and a member of Blueberry Hills Backing band which was formed by Chuck Berry. Moreso, she was featured in one of his songs Darling.  

On his part, Charles Jr. also followed in his father’s footsteps as a musician with skills in playing the guitar. For many who saw Themetta’s husband perform during concerts and at recordings, they would remember seeing the younger Berry playing in the background.   

See Also: Stanley Sandler: The Life And Death Of Adam Sandler’s Father

Themetta Suggs Husband was Involved in Sexual Abuse Allegations  

Like many rock musicians, Berry’s fame pulled him into several controversies involving sexual abuse allegations. As early as 1987, the Sweet Little Sixteen crooner was charged with assaulting a woman at a hotel park in New York. Reportedly, the woman suffered so many injuries that required five stitches, yet, the marriage remained unmoved. According to Themetta, he was Chuck Berry to fans and while he was touring the minute he returned home, he became Charles Berry(his real name). Thusly, we may assume that this was one of the reasons why they were able to move above numerous challenges to remain together. 

Regardless of this understanding between them, this would be one of several allegations as would be proven in 1990 when several women claimed he had installed a video camera in the bathroom of his restaurant. Though he did not refute the use of the camera, Berry claimed he had installed it to catch a worker suspected of stealing at the restaurant. The case ended in a class action settlement. Other cases include a child abuse allegation that was dropped.  

Their Life-Long Marriage Outlived Chuck Berry  

When news of Berry’s death made the waves on March 18, 2017, it was quite shocking. While he had enjoyed wide acclaim including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his musical career, his marriage was another area of his life that many admired.   

Apparently, at his death, Toddy and Chuck had been married for 68 years making it one of the longest celebrity marriages. 

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