Unveiling Rosalie Jean Willis - The Woman Attempting to Establish a Normal Life with Charles Manson
In the annals of infamous American history, the name Charles Manson is synonymous with terror and chaos. Less known, however, is the story of his first wife, Rosalie Jean Willis.
Rosalie was a 15-year-old hospital waitress when she met Manson in 1955. Their brief marriage lasted only three years, as they were divorced in 1958. During this time, their son, Charles Manson Jr., was born in 1956. Tragically, all three of Rosalie's children – Charles Manson Jr., Jesse J. White, and Jed White – died before her.
Charles Manson was incarcerated in Terminal Island prison in San Pedro, California, when their son was born. It was during this period that Manson was arrested for taking a stolen vehicle across state lines.
Jason Freeman, the grandson of Rosalie and Charles Manson, chose an unusual path to destigmatize the Manson name. He became a kickboxing cage fighter and publicly identified himself as a descendant of Charles Manson. His brother, Charles Manson Jr., changed his name to Jay White to distance himself from the Manson name. Sadly, Jay took his own life in 1993, and Jesse died at the age of 28 due to a drug overdose.
Jed White's life was cut short in a tragic accident at the age of 11 in January 1971. Rosalie's husband, Jack White, passed away in 1998. Rosalie herself lived for another 11 years after Jack's death before passing away.
Rosalie's coworkers treated her as an outcast due to her previous relationship with Charles Manson. Despite the stigma, Rosalie lived her life, raising her sons and moving on.
Charles Manson lived to see old age, passing away in 2017. His legacy, however, remains one of infamy, while the life of his first wife, Rosalie Jean Willis, remains largely forgotten.
