John Jakes Wife: Meet Rachel Jakes

Rachel Jakes was the wife of John Jakes a celebrated author known for his historical North and South trilogy. The couple got married in 1951. They had four grown children: Andrea, Dr. Ellen, J. Michael, and Victoria

Jakes met his wife Rachel, who was his zoology lab instructor while studying creative writing at DePauw University in Indiana.

On August 23, 1952, he and Rachel, who had been married for 13 months, appeared on the game show Beat the Clock. Rachel won a Sylvania “Jefferson” 20″ screen television set despite failing to complete the Bonus Round.

John Jakes COURTESY FRANK R. CURTISNorth and South, his Civil War trilogy, has sold millions of copies worldwide. He wrote The Kent Family Chronicles as well. Among other pen names, Jakes used was Jay Scotland.

He also received the White House Conference on Libraries and Information’s Celebrity and Citizen’s Award for his efforts on behalf of America’s public libraries.

John Jakes died in Sarasota on March 11, 2023, at the age of 90, his lawyer and literary agent Frank R. Curtis announced.