James Westley Welch: What Happened to Raquel Welch’s Ex-Husband?

Raquel Welch became a big Hollywood star. People knew her for her movies and beauty. But before all the fame there was James Westley Welch. He was her first husband and first true love.

Their story started when they were teens. They met at school and soon fell in love. At that time Raquel was not famous. She was just a young girl with big dreams.

James and Raquel later got married and had two kids. But their young marriage did not last. Their lives soon went in two very different ways.

So who was James Westley Welch? How did he meet Raquel? In this article we will look at his early life and their love story. We will also learn about their wedding and kids.

James Westley Welch Quick Bio

Who Is James Westley Welch?

James Westley Welch is best known as Raquel Welch’s first husband. People close to him also called him Jim. He met Raquel long before she became famous.

James was not an actor. He did not want to become a movie star. His life was much more private than Raquel’s life.

This is one reason people still want to know about him. James knew Raquel before fame changed her world. He knew her when she was still in school.

Their story did not start at a movie set. It started with school days and young love. Neither of them knew what the future would bring.

James Westley Welch’s Early Life

There is not much clear news about James Westley Welch’s early life. Some sites give facts about his birth and family. But many of these facts do not match.

We do know that James went to La Jolla High School in California. He was part of the football team. Raquel went to the same school and was a cheerleader.

The two were not the same in many ways. Raquel did well in school. She also liked acting and wanted to do more with her life.

James was more quiet. School was not as important to him. He seemed to enjoy action and new things more.

Yet their different ways did not keep them apart. In fact Raquel liked the calm side of James. Soon he became very special to her.

How James Westley Welch Met Raquel Welch

James and Raquel met when they were about 15 years old. They were both students at La Jolla High School.

Raquel noticed James very fast. He had dark hair and green eyes. She also liked his calm way.

For Raquel this was more than a small school crush. She felt that James could be the person she would build a life with one day.

Raquel later wrote about James in her book. She called him her first true love. She also said that the love stayed in her mind for many years.

At that time Raquel was known as Jo Raquel Tejada. She had not become Raquel Welch yet. James knew her before the fame and movie roles.

That makes their story special. He did not fall for a Hollywood star. He fell for a young girl he knew from school.

James Westley Welch and Raquel’s Young Love

James and Raquel had a sweet school love story. They went to dances and spent time together after football games.

James had a car. Raquel loved riding to school with him. For a young couple this made each school day feel more fun.

They also went for burgers and shakes. These were not rich or fancy dates. They were simple moments between two teens in love.

Music was also part of their story. One song they loved was “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke. The song became tied to their young love.

Still their bond was not always easy. James and Raquel had very different goals. Raquel cared about school and acting.

James wanted more action in his life. Soon he made a choice that took him far away from Raquel.

James Westley Welch and Raquel Welch’s Marriage

Raquel chose love. She left college and decided to marry James Westley Welch. She was only 19 years old.

The pair got married on May 8 1959. Their wedding took place in Las Vegas. It was simple and far from the big Hollywood life Raquel would later know.

Raquel’s family was not happy about the choice. Her father was very upset. He felt she was too young to make such a big move.

But Raquel followed her heart. She loved James and wanted to build a home with him.

Married life soon became hard. James had to work. Raquel had to learn how to care for their home.

Then another big change came. Raquel was going to become a mother at only 19.

James Westley Welch’s Children

James and Raquel welcomed their son Damon Welch on November 6 1959. He was born only months after their wedding.

Two years later their family grew again. Their daughter Latanne “Tahnee” Welch was born on December 26 1961.

Raquel and James were now young parents with two small kids. They had to think about work and family each day.

Tahnee later became a model and actress. Damon also had some work tied to film and TV. But back then they were simply two small kids who needed their parents.

Life was getting harder for James and Raquel. They still cared for each other. But their dreams were starting to pull them apart.

Raquel wanted to act and build a new life. James had his own path. Soon their young marriage would face a very hard time.

Why James Westley Welch and Raquel Divorced

Life became hard for James Westley Welch and Raquel. They had married at a very young age. They also had two kids before they had much time to build their own lives.

Raquel had a strong wish to act. She wanted to see how far she could go. James had his own plans. Over time their lives started to move in different ways.

The pair separated in 1962. Raquel later moved to Los Angeles with Damon and Tahnee. She wanted to find acting work and build a new future.

Their divorce became final in 1964. Raquel later said the split was very painful. She also felt they were too young to deal with all the hard parts of marriage.

Why Raquel Kept the Welch Name

Raquel was born Jo Raquel Tejada. She got the last name Welch when she married James. But she did not stop using it after their divorce.

Soon the name Raquel Welch became famous. Her movie work grew and people around the world knew her by that name.

Raquel later married three more times. Still she kept Welch as her public name. She used it for the rest of her life.

This gave James a small but lasting place in Hollywood history. He stayed away from fame. Yet his last name became known across the world.

James Westley Welch’s Life After Raquel

After the divorce James lived a much more private life. He did not follow Raquel into the world of movies. He also did not become known for giving talks about his famous ex-wife.

Some reports say James later worked in business and real estate. Other reports say he worked as a publicist and agent. Yet there is not enough strong proof for every claim.

The same is true about his money. Some websites say James Westley Welch had a very high net worth. Exact numbers are often shared online. But there is no clear public proof for those numbers.

James seems to have liked a quiet life. This is very different from Raquel. Her face was seen in movies and on magazine covers. James stayed mostly out of sight.

James and Raquel Met Again

James and Raquel spent many years apart. Reports say they did not see each other for about 15 years after their split.

In 1977 James reached out to Raquel. By then both had changed a lot. Raquel was now a major Hollywood star.

Their meeting was said to be calm. They spoke about Damon and Tahnee. Their kids were still the link between them.

Raquel was glad to see James doing well. James was also able to see what Raquel had built in Hollywood. They did not need to bring back every old problem.

It was a very different meeting from their teen years. They were older now. Both had learned a lot about life.

What Happened to James Westley Welch?

Many people still ask what happened to James Westley Welch. The answer is not fully clear because he kept his later life very private.

Some websites say James died in November 2019. They also give a cause of death. But these claims do not have enough strong public proof to treat them as certain.

There are also reports about a second wife and another child. Again these parts of his life are not well proven by trusted public records.

It is safer to say that James stayed away from public life. He did not share much about his home or family. This is why so many questions about him remain in 2026.

Final Thoughts

Raquel never forgot her first love. In her book she looked back at James and their young years together. She called Jim her first true love.

That is special when we think about the life she had later. Raquel became a huge star and met many people. She also married three more times.

Still James had a place in her heart. He knew her before Hollywood. He knew the young Raquel who went to school and dreamed about her future.

Raquel died on February 15 2023 at age 82. Her story is still loved by fans. James remains an important part of her early years.

(FAQs)

Is James Westley Welch still alive?

It is not clear. Some sites say James died in 2019. But there is no strong public record that proves this was Raquel Welch’s ex-husband. This is why his status is still unclear.

What is James Westley Welch’s age?

Some reports say James was born in 1937. Other sources give different birth details. His true age cannot be confirmed with strong public records.

When is James Westley Welch’s birthday?

Some websites list January 29 1937 as his birth date. But this date is not backed by a strong public source. It is best to treat it as an online claim.

What is James Westley Welch’s net worth?

His true net worth is not known. Some sites claim it was around $40 million. But there is no strong proof for this number. The $40 million figure is also widely linked to Raquel Welch’s own wealth.

What is James Westley Welch’s life like today?

Very little is known about James Westley Welch in 2026. He stayed away from fame after his marriage to Raquel ended. Reports about his later life and death do not fully agree.

---

Continue reading:  Steven Craig: Where Is Sally Field’s Ex-Husband Now?