Marilyn Kroc Barg was an American businesswoman and philanthropist who founded the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) to support sick children of financially disadvantaged families. She was the only child of Raymond Albert Kroc, the founder of the McDonald’s Corporation. She was born on April 22, 1928, in Cook County of Chicago, IL. Marilyn Kroc passed away on September 11, 1973, at the age of 49, losing the battle with diabetes.
About Marilyn Kroc Barg
Name: Marilyn Kroc Barg or Marilyn Janet Kroc
Date of Birth: April 22, 1928
Birthplace: Chicago Cook County, Illinois, United States
Parents: Raymond Albert Kroc (Father) and Ethel Janet Fleming (Mother)
Siblings: None
Occupation: Businesswoman and philanthropist
Known for: Daughter of Raymond Albert Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s Corporation, and Ethel Janet Fleming, American Actress
Died: September 11, 1973
Cause of death: Diabetes
Marilyn Kroc Barg’s Family
Marilyn Kroc Barg was the only child of Raymond Albert Kroc and Ethel Janet Fleming. Her father was a renowned businessman who purchased the fast-food restaurant McDonald’s in 1961 and became the CEO of the company from 1967 to 1973. He made McDonald’s the most successful fast-food restaurant chain across the globe.
Her mother, Ethel Janet Fleming, was an American actress and swimmer. She was also regarded as a ‘surf girl’ by a newspaper because Ethel used to spend about four hours every day in the waters during summers.
The aspiring actress Ethel Fleming married Raymond Albert Kroc in 1922 when he was a salesman. The couple remained married for more than forty years and had only one child, Marilyn Kroc Barg.
They divorced in 1961, having conflicts between them due to McDonald’s. Raymond Kroc married Jane Dobbins Green in 1963 (divorced in 1968) and then later married Joan Kroc in 1969.
Marilyn Kroc Barg’s Education and Career
Information related to Marilyn Kroc’s education is not available. However, being a child of a renowned actress and a successful businessman, Marilyn enjoyed a luxurious life and had sufficient education, details of which are not known.
Marilyn Kroc was a successful businesswoman and philanthropist. She founded Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), an American nonprofit organization aimed to support sick children from financially disadvantaged families and accommodate the families whose children are hospitalized and treated at nearby medical facilities and hospitals.
She also helped start the kettle program of the Salvation Army. Apart from this, Marilyn Kroc was also an active Democrat and hosted President Richard Nixon and President Ronald Reagan during their political fundraisers.
Marily Kroc Barg’s Personal Life and Death
There is not much information available about Marilyn Kroc’s personal life, and there are no records about her married life apart from the names of her husbands. Marilyn was married twice. Marily married Sylvester Nordly Nelson on April 27, 1949, at the age of 24. However, the couple divorced. Marilyn later married James W. Barg in 1960, only a year before her parents divorced. After marrying James W. Barg, she changed her name to Marilyn Kroc Barg. Marilyn remained married to James W. Barg until her death.
Marilyn was diagnosed with diabetes, and she lost her battle with diabetes on September 11, 1973, at the age of 49 at Arlington Heights.