Susan Dee Robbins: The Private Life of Dale Robertson’s Wife

Susan Dee Robbins is an American former flight attendant who became widely known as the wife of late Hollywood actor Dale Robertson. Her name continues to attract interest because she shared more than three decades of married life with the famous Western film and television star. Unlike her husband, Susan preferred a quiet lifestyle and rarely stepped into the public spotlight. Before marriage, she worked for American Airlines, where she first crossed paths with Dale. In this article, we explore Susan Dee Robbins’ early background, career, marriage, family life, age difference with Dale, life on their Oklahoma ranch, and her years after her husband’s death.

Quick Bio

Who Is Susan Dee Robbins?

Susan Dee Robbins was born in 1954 in California, United States. She became familiar to Hollywood fans through her marriage to actor Dale Robertson, but she never tried to build a public career around his fame. Susan instead maintained a quiet lifestyle and focused on her marriage and home. Her husband was already an established Hollywood personality when they became a couple. Their different experiences with public attention helped make Susan an interesting figure to people who followed Dale’s life. She remained his partner for decades and stayed beside him until his death in February 2013.

Susan Dee Robbins’ Early Life

Susan spent her early years in California, where she was born and raised before beginning her professional life. She eventually entered the airline industry, a career that unexpectedly led to one of the most important moments of her personal life. Susan was never known for seeking celebrity attention, and even after becoming the wife of a successful actor, she continued to value her privacy. This approach separated her from many people associated with Hollywood personalities. Instead of regularly appearing at public events or discussing her personal experiences, Susan built a private life with Dale and remained largely outside the entertainment industry.

Susan Dee Robbins’ Career

Before becoming Dale Robertson’s wife, Susan Dee Robbins worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines. Her profession involved working aboard commercial flights and interacting with passengers during their journeys. This career became especially significant because it was through her work that she eventually met Dale. After their relationship developed and they married, Susan left her position with the airline. Her life then became more focused on her marriage and the home she shared with Dale. She did not follow her husband into acting or establish herself as an entertainment personality, choosing instead to remain largely away from Hollywood’s professional spotlight.

How Susan Dee Robbins Met Dale Robertson

Susan and Dale Robertson met while Susan was working aboard an American Airlines flight as a flight attendant. Dale was a passenger, and their first encounter eventually developed into a romantic relationship. Their meeting was very different from a typical Hollywood romance because it happened away from movie sets and entertainment events. After getting to know one another, they began dating and decided to build a future together. Their relationship eventually led to marriage on February 2, 1980. What started as a chance encounter during Susan’s airline career became a marriage that lasted more than three decades and continued for the rest of Dale’s life.

Who Was Dale Robertson?

Dale Robertson, whose birth name was Dayle Lymoine Robertson, was an American actor known for his work during Hollywood’s classic era. Born on July 14, 1923, in Harrah, Oklahoma, he developed a successful acting career and became particularly associated with Western roles. His screen career made him a recognizable figure during the 1950s and 1960s. He appeared in numerous film and television productions throughout his professional life. Outside acting, Dale was passionate about horses and entered the horse business with his brother, Chet Robertson. His successful entertainment career made Susan a subject of interest even though she personally preferred life outside the spotlight.

Susan Dee Robbins and Dale Robertson’s Wedding

Susan Dee Robbins married Dale Robertson on February 2, 1980. Their wedding was kept private and was attended by close friends and family members rather than becoming a major Hollywood event. This private approach suited Susan, who preferred staying away from unnecessary attention. Dale had already experienced three previous marriages, but his relationship with Susan became his longest. Following their wedding, they began building a quieter married life together. Their relationship continued through changing stages of Dale’s career and retirement years, ultimately lasting approximately 33 years. They remained husband and wife until Dale passed away on February 27, 2013.

Life on Their Oklahoma Ranch

After marriage, Susan and Dale spent much of their life on Dale’s ranch in Yukon, Oklahoma. Their home offered a very different environment from the busy entertainment world associated with Hollywood. Horses were an important part of Dale’s life, and he became deeply involved in breeding them. At one point, he reportedly owned around 235 horses, including five mares that produced grand champions. Susan shared this ranch lifestyle with her husband, allowing them to enjoy their marriage away from constant public attention. Their Oklahoma home became an important part of their life together and reflected Dale’s strong interest in horses and ranching.

Susan and Dale Robertson’s Age Difference

Susan Dee Robbins and Dale Robertson had an age difference of approximately 23 years. Susan was born in 1954, while Dale was born on July 14, 1923, in Harrah, Oklahoma. Despite the significant difference in their ages, their marriage became the longest of Dale’s four marriages. They remained together for around 33 years, from their wedding in 1980 until his death in 2013. Susan was about 59 years old when Dale died at the age of 89. Their decades together showed that their age difference did not prevent them from building a long-lasting relationship centered on companionship and their private life together.

How Many Times Was Dale Robertson Married?

Dale Robertson married four times during his lifetime. His first marriage was to Frederica Jacqueline Wilson, whom he married in 1951. Their marriage ended in 1956. He then married actress Mary Murphy in 1956, but their relationship ended the following year in 1957. Dale’s third wife was Lula Mae Maxey. They married in 1959 and remained together until 1977. Three years later, Dale married Susan Dee Robbins in 1980. Susan became his fourth and final wife. Their relationship lasted considerably longer than his earlier marriages, continuing for 33 years until Dale’s death in February 2013.

Did Susan Dee Robbins Have Children With Dale Robertson?

Susan Dee Robbins and Dale Robertson did not have children together during their marriage. However, Dale was already a father and had two daughters named Rochelle Robertson and Rebel Lee. Rochelle was born from Dale’s marriage to his first wife, Frederica Jacqueline Wilson. Susan therefore became a stepmother after marrying Dale. Although she and Dale did not welcome children of their own, his existing family remained part of their wider family story. Dale also became a grandfather through Rochelle. His granddaughter is Jade Robertson-Fusco. Susan’s family role was therefore connected not only to Dale but also to the family he had established before their marriage.

Susan Dee Robbins as Dale Robertson’s Wife

Susan spent 33 years as Dale Robertson’s wife, making their relationship an important part of both of their lives. Dale had experienced several marriages before meeting Susan, but his fourth marriage lasted until the end of his life. Susan supported him while maintaining her preference for privacy. Instead of using her connection with a Hollywood actor to establish her own celebrity identity, she remained focused on their personal life. Their ranch in Oklahoma offered them space outside the entertainment industry. Susan was beside Dale during his later years and remained his wife as his health declined, bringing their decades-long marriage to an end only with his death.

Dale Robertson’s Final Years and Death

During Dale Robertson’s later years, his health began to decline. This eventually resulted in a move away from his Oklahoma home to the San Diego area in California. A few months after relocating, Dale died on February 27, 2013, at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California. He was 89 years old. His death was connected to lung cancer and pneumonia. His passing ended a long acting career as well as his 33-year marriage to Susan. For Susan, Dale’s death meant losing the husband with whom she had shared more than three decades of marriage, ranch life, and private family experiences.

Susan Dee Robbins’ Life After Dale Robertson’s Death

Following Dale Robertson’s death in 2013, Susan Dee Robbins continued the private approach that had defined much of her married life. She did not become active in interviews or build a visible presence on social media. Her decision to remain outside the spotlight was consistent with the lifestyle she had maintained while Dale was alive. There has also been little discussion about major changes in her personal life following his death. Instead, Susan largely disappeared from public attention. This privacy has increased curiosity about her among people who continue to discover Dale Robertson’s films, television work, relationships, and family history.

Final Thoughts

Susan Dee Robbins is best known as the fourth and final wife of Hollywood actor Dale Robertson, but her story also reflects a life deliberately kept outside the entertainment spotlight. Born in California in 1954, she worked as an American Airlines flight attendant before meeting Dale during a flight. They married on February 2, 1980, and spent 33 years together, including many years enjoying ranch life in Oklahoma. Susan remained with Dale until his death from lung cancer and pneumonia in 2013. Since becoming widowed, she has continued to maintain her privacy, keeping her personal life largely away from interviews and social media.

(FAQs) About Susan Dee Robbins

Who is Susan Dee Robbins?

Susan Dee Robbins is an American former flight attendant best known as the fourth and final wife of late Hollywood actor Dale Robertson. The couple married in 1980.

How old is Susan Dee Robbins?

Susan Dee Robbins was born in 1954 in California, United States. She was 71 years old in 2025 and is about 23 years younger than Dale Robertson.

How did Susan Dee Robbins meet Dale Robertson?

Susan met Dale Robertson while working as a flight attendant for American Airlines. Dale was a passenger on a flight, and their meeting eventually developed into a romantic relationship.

Did Susan Dee Robbins and Dale Robertson have children?

Susan and Dale Robertson did not have children together. However, Dale had two daughters, Rochelle Robertson and Rebel Lee, from previous relationships, making Susan their stepmother.

How long were Susan Dee Robbins and Dale Robertson married?

Susan Dee Robbins and Dale Robertson were married for approximately 33 years. They exchanged vows on February 2, 1980, and remained together until Dale died in February 2013.