The Untold Story of the Fonda Family

Henry Fonda’s final marriage, to Shirlee Mae Adams, lasted until he died in 1982. By then, he was old, tired, and softened by time. Shirlee wasn’t a starlet or a storm—she was stability. Their home was quiet. No scandals, no feuds. Just meals, reading, and garden walks.

For a man who had failed at emotional closeness, this final chapter brought something resembling peace. Jane and Peter visited, cautiously hopeful, though they never quite bridged the emotional distance fully. Shirlee gave Henry space to age without performance.