Henry Winkler became a huge TV star as Fonzie on Happy Days. Yet behind his long life in Hollywood is Stacey Weitzman. She has shared his journey for almost five decades. Still her own story is often missed.
Stacey Weitzman is much more than Henry Winkler’s wife. She built a career before meeting him. She raised a close family. She also faced hard times with great strength and spent years helping children through charity work.
So who is Stacey Weitzman away from the famous Winkler name? This article looks at her early years and career. We will also explore her first marriage and the sweet story of how she met and married Henry Winkler.
Who Is Stacey Weitzman?
Stacey Weitzman is an American businesswoman and former public relations worker. She became widely known through her marriage to actor Henry Winkler. However she had already started building her own working life long before the couple met.
Stacey was born Stacey Furstman in 1947. She grew up in California and later studied at the University of Southern California. She chose a career in public relations and worked with several well-known fashion and retail names.
In 2026 Stacey remains best known as Henry Winkler’s longtime wife. Yet family has always been a huge part of her life too. She is a mother of three and has spent many years enjoying life as a grandmother.
Stacey Weitzman’s Early Life and Education
Stacey Weitzman grew up in California before Hollywood became a major part of her world. Unlike Henry she did not begin her adult life chasing acting roles. Her early interests took her toward business and public relations instead.
After school Stacey attended the University of Southern California. College gave her a chance to prepare for the working world. She learned skills that later helped her deal with clients and build a career of her own.
This part of Stacey Weitzman’s life is easy to miss. Many people first hear her name because of Henry. Yet she was an educated working woman before meeting him. Her career story had already started before their love story began.
Stacey Weitzman’s Career Before Henry Winkler
After college Stacey Weitzman entered the public relations world. She did more than simply work for another company. She opened her own PR firm and began working with clients from the fashion and retail business.
Her reported clients included Van Cleef & Arpels and Jag. She also worked with Jerry Magnin’s clothing store in Beverly Hills. That store would later become very important because it was where she first crossed paths with Henry Winkler.
Running a PR business takes confidence and good people skills. Stacey had to understand what her clients needed and help them build a good public image. Her career shows that she had her own path before becoming part of a famous Hollywood couple.
Stacey Weitzman’s First Husband and Son Jed
Before Henry Winkler entered her life Stacey Weitzman was married to entertainment lawyer Howard Weitzman. The marriage later ended. However Stacey continued using the Weitzman last name that people still know her by today.
Stacey and Howard had a son named Jed Weitzman. Jed was still a young child when his mother later met Henry. In fact he was around four years old when Henry became part of Stacey’s life.
This detail makes Stacey and Henry’s story more meaningful. Henry was not only starting a relationship with Stacey. He was also entering the life of her young son. Over time he became an important father figure for Jed.
How Stacey Weitzman Met Henry Winkler
The story of how Stacey Weitzman met Henry Winkler sounds almost like a movie scene. It happened in 1976 at Jerry Magnin’s clothing store in Beverly Hills. Stacey was connected to the store through her public relations work.
Henry was already becoming very famous as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on Happy Days. He entered the store looking for clothing. Then he noticed Stacey. Henry later remembered her red hair and the purple parachute pants she was wearing.
He clearly did not forget her. Henry returned to the store about one week later and found Stacey there again. He quickly learned that she was confident and strong. Soon he gathered the courage to ask her to go out with him.
Stacey Weitzman and Henry Winkler’s Love Story
Their first date did not begin with an expensive Hollywood dinner. Henry asked Stacey to join him for a soda. He also mentioned that he needed to stop and buy a wedding gift before they went.
Stacey was not impressed with that idea. She made it clear that she was not there to help him shop for gifts. Still she changed her mind about going out. The two went across the street and had ginger ales together.
Their simple date soon became something serious. Within weeks Stacey and young Jed reportedly moved in with Henry. Their relationship grew quickly but they still spent about two years together before taking the next big step.
Stacey Weitzman and Henry Winkler’s Wedding
Stacey Weitzman and Henry Winkler married in 1978. Their wedding took place at a synagogue in New York City. It was an important place in Henry’s life because reports say it was the same synagogue where he had his bar mitzvah.
By then Henry’s fame was huge. Fonzie had become one of television’s most loved characters. His face appeared across magazines and other products. For Stacey this meant married life came with attention that most couples never have to face.
Fans sometimes rushed toward Henry without noticing Stacey beside him. Stacey once recalled a woman stepping on her stockings while trying to reach him. When Stacey complained the excited fan simply explained how much she loved Fonzie.
Stacey Weitzman’s Children and Family Life
Family became a big part of Stacey Weitzman’s life with Henry. Stacey already had her son Jed from her first marriage. Henry welcomed him into his life and became an important father figure as Jed grew up.
Stacey and Henry later had two children together. Their daughter Zoe was born on September 30 1980. Their son Max followed on August 18 1983. The couple now had three children growing up under one roof.
Henry was a huge TV star during those years. Still the family tried to live a normal life. Stacey once said they ate dinner together every night. Henry also went to school meetings and stayed active in his children’s lives.
Where Are Stacey Weitzman’s Children Today?
All three children grew up and found their own paths. Zoe Winkler stayed away from acting. She worked as a nursery school teacher and later became involved in charity work that helps families and children.
Zoe also helped start This Is About Humanity. The group supports families facing difficult situations. Her work shows how helping others became an important value in the Winkler family. She later married and became a mother too.
Max Winkler chose a different road. He entered the entertainment world and became a writer director and producer. He has worked behind the camera on several film and television projects instead of copying his father’s acting career.
Jed also grew up away from much of the Hollywood spotlight. As a child he struggled with school and was found to have dyslexia. Henry understood this struggle well because he also learned later in life that he had dyslexia.
Stacey Weitzman’s Breast Cancer Battle
One of the hardest parts of Stacey Weitzman’s life came when she faced breast cancer. Reports say she was first diagnosed around 2000. She went through treatment and the cancer later went into remission.
Sadly the health battle was not over. The cancer returned several years later. In 2007 Stacey reportedly had a double mastectomy. It was a serious step but she came through the difficult period with support from her family.
The experience also affected Henry deeply. He later spoke openly about how lost he felt during those years. He admitted that he did not always know how to give Stacey the support she needed while she was going through treatment.
That honesty became important later. Henry started therapy and worked on himself. He has said that therapy helped him become more present in his marriage. Their difficult years became part of how they learned to understand each other better.
How Stacey Weitzman and Henry Made Their Marriage Last
Hollywood marriages often get a lot of attention when they end. Stacey Weitzman and Henry Winkler have a very different story. They married in 1978 and have stayed together through fame family problems and major changes in life.
Stacey has said that a good marriage means growing with another person. She knows people change as they get older. Instead of expecting everything to stay the same she believes couples must learn how to grow together.
Their life is not only about serious talks. They also enjoy simple things. Henry has said they like going to movies and spending time together. They have also enjoyed fly fishing and being with their grandchildren.
Stacey has also joked about the secret to their long marriage. Henry often talks about communication. Stacey has described her own answer in a much simpler way. For her part of the secret is simply staying together and doing the work.
Stacey Weitzman’s Charity Work and Marlee Matlin
Stacey Weitzman has also used her time to help other people. In 1990 she and Henry joined several other couples to help create the Children’s Action Network. The group has worked to improve life for children and families.
Its work has included adoption programs and other help for children. This side of Stacey’s story is important. She had useful public relations skills and understood how attention could help bring support to a good cause.
One of the most touching family stories involves actress Marlee Matlin. Stacey and Henry first knew Marlee when she was young. Years later Marlee needed a safe and caring place where she could stay during a hard period.
What was expected to be a short stay became much longer. Marlee lived with the Winklers for nearly three years. They welcomed her into their family and gave her a stable home while she worked on rebuilding her life.
Marlee later spoke warmly about their support. Henry has even described her as being like a second daughter. The story gives readers another look at Stacey Weitzman away from red carpets and famous Hollywood events.
Stacey Weitzman’s Life Today in 2026
In 2026 Stacey Weitzman remains closely linked with Henry Winkler. After meeting in 1976 and marrying in 1978 their relationship has now lasted around half a century. That is a long journey for any couple.
Family remains an important part of their world. Their children are now adults with lives and families of their own. Stacey and Henry have also entered the grandparent stage of life and have spoken about how much they enjoy it.
Stacey still keeps a lower public profile than her famous husband. She may appear with Henry at public events from time to time but she has never seemed interested in chasing the same kind of fame that surrounded Fonzie.
Her story also shows why calling her only “Henry Winkler’s wife” misses a lot. Stacey had her own career. She raised three children. She helped people through charity work and faced a serious health battle with strength.
Final Thoughts
Stacey Weitzman has spent much of her adult life beside one of television’s most famous actors. Yet her own story has many important chapters. She built a career before Henry and helped create a close family after they married.
Her life has included happy moments and painful ones. She watched Henry become a major star. She raised children while living around Hollywood fame. She also faced breast cancer and continued moving forward through a very difficult time.
Perhaps the most interesting part of Stacey Weitzman’s story is how normal many of her happiest moments sound. Family dinners and simple dates mattered. So did movies fishing grandchildren and helping people who needed support.
In 2026 Stacey and Henry’s long relationship remains a major part of her story. But Stacey Weitzman is more than the woman beside Fonzie. She is a mother businesswoman charity supporter cancer survivor and longtime partner who built her own meaningful life.
(FAQs)
Was Stacey Weitzman in movies?
Yes. Stacey Weitzman has had a few small screen roles. However she never became a full-time actress. She is better known for her PR career and as Henry Winkler’s wife.
How old is Stacey Weitzman?
Stacey Weitzman was born in 1947. She is 78 years old in October 2026. Some sources list her birthday as November 15 but her exact birth date is not strongly confirmed.
Who is Stacey Weitzman’s husband?
Stacey Weitzman’s husband is actor Henry Winkler. They married in 1978 after meeting in 1976. Before Henry she was married to lawyer Howard Weitzman.
What is Stacey Weitzman’s net worth?
Some websites say Stacey Weitzman has a net worth of about $1 million. However this number is not confirmed. She made her own money through her public relations career.
How many children does Stacey Weitzman have?
Stacey Weitzman has three children. Her oldest son is Jed Weitzman. She and Henry Winkler also have two children together named Zoe Winkler and Max Winkler.
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