Susan Deixler is best known as the first wife of American singer Barry Manilow, but her life extends far beyond their brief marriage. The former high school sweethearts married in 1964, separated after approximately one year and had their marriage annulled in 1966.
Although her connection to the famous musician continues to attract interest, Susan established a meaningful career helping older adults in California. She spent around three decades with West Marin Senior Services and received public recognition for her community work in 2024.
Her story combines an early relationship with a future music star, a long commitment to helping others and a preference for personal privacy. Here is what reliable public information reveals about her marriage, family, career and later life.
Quick Bio
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Susan Deixler |
| Known For | Barry Manilow’s first wife and community service |
| Profession | Former Senior Care Manager |
| Education | Attended Eastern District High School, Brooklyn |
| Former Spouse | Barry Manilow |
| Marriage Year | 1964 |
| Marriage Annulled | 1966 |
| Children | Has children |
| Notable Organisation | West Marin Senior Services |
| Community Work | Senior care, food assistance and recreational programmes |
| Recognition | Honoured by Marin County Board of Supervisors in 2024 |
| Retirement | Retired by March 2024; formally honoured on 19 March 2024 |
Who Is Susan Deixler?
Susan Deixler is an American woman whose name became publicly associated with Barry Manilow because of their teenage romance and short-lived marriage.
Unlike her former husband, who became an internationally recognised singer and entertainer, Susan followed a largely private path. Her later work centred on supporting elderly residents in the rural communities of West Marin, California.
Her professional contributions are documented by West Marin Senior Services and the Marin County government. These records provide a clearer understanding of her life than the celebrity-focused biographies that discuss only her former marriage.
She became involved in practical care, community programmes and services that helped older residents maintain their independence.
Susan Deixler’s Early Life and Education
Susan attended Eastern District High School in Brooklyn, New York, where she met Barry Manilow during their teenage years.
The school also played an important part in Manilow’s early life. Before becoming a recording artist, he developed an interest in music and pursued the training that would eventually shape his professional career.
Their relationship began long before his worldwide fame, when both were young people considering their futures.
Reliable public accounts offer relatively little information about Susan’s childhood outside this relationship. Her family background and early personal experiences have received far less attention than those of her former husband.
This limited record reflects the distinction between a person who later became a celebrity and someone who chose a more private life.
How Susan Deixler Met Barry Manilow
Susan Deixler and Barry Manilow met while attending Eastern District High School in Brooklyn.
Their friendship developed into a romantic relationship, and Susan became Manilow’s high school sweetheart.
At that stage, Manilow was still years away from achieving international recognition. He was passionate about music, particularly arranging, composing and performing.
Their relationship continued beyond school, eventually leading to marriage.
Accounts of their early romance show that the relationship was genuine, even though it did not become a lasting partnership. Manilow later spoke positively about Susan and acknowledged that he had loved her.
Susan Deixler and Barry Manilow’s Marriage
Their Wedding in 1964
The couple married in 1964, when they were both young adults.
Their wedding took place before Barry Manilow became a household name. The singer was still establishing himself professionally and exploring opportunities within New York’s music industry.
Their marriage brought together two people who had known each other since their school days.
However, Manilow’s increasing involvement in music soon created difficulties in their relationship.
Manilow later explained that he spent much of his time pursuing music and was unable to give his marriage the attention it needed.
When Did Their Marriage End?
Their marriage lasted approximately one year before they separated.
The annulment was completed in 1966, which explains why different reports sometimes give different ending dates for the relationship.
The important distinction is between their separation and the later legal annulment.
Susan did not remain in the public spotlight following the end of their marriage, while Manilow continued developing the career that eventually made him famous.
Why Did Barry Manilow and Susan Deixler Separate?
Barry Manilow has discussed the breakdown of his first marriage in several interviews.
He has consistently described his youth, professional ambitions and inability to devote sufficient attention to married life as important factors.
In a 2023 interview with Chris Wallace, Manilow explained that he spent his evenings making music and could not provide the commitment expected in a marriage.
His developing musical career occupied much of his time, leaving little opportunity to build a stable relationship.
Was Their Separation Related to His Sexuality?
Manilow publicly discussed his sexuality in 2017, when he confirmed his long relationship with Garry Kief.
This disclosure renewed interest in his earlier marriage.
However, Manilow has said that his marriage to Susan did not end because of his sexual orientation. He described having genuine feelings for her and attributed the separation primarily to his lack of readiness for married life.
His later interviews, including a 2026 conversation with The Guardian, continued to emphasise how strongly his early musical ambitions influenced his personal decisions.
It is important to distinguish his own explanation from speculation about the relationship.
What Happened to Susan Deixler After the Annulment?
Following her separation from Manilow, Susan built a life outside the entertainment industry.
She eventually became a long-term resident of West Marin, California, where she developed strong community connections.
Rather than pursuing publicity connected with her former husband’s fame, she devoted substantial time to helping older people.
Her work involved addressing practical difficulties that can arise when people age in rural communities, including limited transport, restricted access to healthcare and social isolation.
This later chapter became one of the most significant and well-documented parts of her life.
Susan Deixler’s Career at West Marin Senior Services
Susan Deixler spent approximately 30 years working with West Marin Senior Services, an organisation that supports older adults in California.
According to Marin County’s official recognition, she initially served as a volunteer for around ten years before working for approximately 20 years as a Senior Care Manager.
Her responsibilities included helping elderly residents access essential services.
These services included:
- Arranging medical appointments and transportation.
- Connecting clients with home care and meal assistance.
- Helping families understand available support.
- Coordinating with healthcare and social service organisations.
- Providing emotional support to older residents.
Her work was particularly important for people who wished to continue living independently but required occasional assistance.
A profile published by West Marin Senior Services described how she worked closely with clients and their families, often helping them overcome practical barriers to receiving care.
Her approach focused on preserving independence, dignity and community connection.
Her Contribution to the Senior Swim Programme
One of Susan’s notable achievements was helping establish a recreational swimming programme for older adults at Heart’s Desire Beach in Tomales Bay State Park.
The programme offered elderly residents opportunities to enjoy the beach, participate in gentle physical activity and socialise with others.
Volunteers helped participants reach the beach safely, making the experience accessible to people who might otherwise struggle to visit.
According to a March 2024 report in the Point Reyes Light, the idea developed after Susan met an older client who wanted to return to swimming but could no longer travel independently.
The programme expanded from that original request.
Marin County’s 2024 recognition noted that it had been operating for approximately 18 years.
The initiative demonstrated how listening to an individual’s needs could lead to a valuable community service.
Her Work With Food Assistance and Community Support
Susan also contributed to food assistance programmes for older residents.
Working with volunteers and local organisations, she helped establish a supplemental food table associated with community meals.
The project provided access to nutritious items, including fresh produce and other essential foods.
Her contributions extended beyond food assistance.
Marin County records also recognise her involvement in mentoring nursing students from Dominican University, supporting local emergency preparedness and advocating for older residents facing difficulties with service providers.
These responsibilities show that her work combined everyday care with broader community advocacy.
Susan Deixler’s Retirement and Recognition in 2024
In March 2024, the Marin County Board of Supervisors formally recognised Susan Deixler for her long record of community service.
The county honoured approximately 30 years of contributions to the welfare of elderly residents.
The recognition coincided with her retirement from West Marin Senior Services.
Local newspaper the Point Reyes Light reported that Susan had found satisfaction in helping people and learning from the residents she served.
Her retirement marked the conclusion of a substantial professional commitment.
Unlike the publicity surrounding her former marriage, this recognition reflected achievements developed through many years of community work.
It also provides a reliable milestone when discussing her later life.
Did Susan Deixler Have Children?
Susan Deixler has children, a fact she acknowledged in comments reported by the media in April 2015.
However, she has generally avoided discussing detailed information about her family publicly.
There is no reliable basis for treating unconfirmed names, birth dates or other personal details circulating online as established facts.
Her children should also not be confused with Kirsten, the biological daughter of Garry Kief, whom Barry Manilow helped raise.
Susan has shared very little public information about her children and later family life.
What Did Susan Say About Barry Manilow and Garry Kief?
Barry Manilow began his relationship with television executive Garry Kief in 1978. The couple held a private wedding ceremony in 2014.
After reports of their marriage became public in 2015, Susan offered supportive comments.
She said she was happy that Manilow had found love and happiness, while also making it clear that their own relationship belonged to the distant past.
She described herself as a private person with children and a separate life.
Her response reflected a desire to maintain personal boundaries rather than revisit a marriage that had ended decades earlier.
Where Is Susan Deixler Today?
Susan spent more than five decades in the West Marin area of California, according to material published by West Marin Senior Services.
Her retirement was publicly recognised in March 2024.
Beyond that milestone, dependable information about Susan Deixler’s life today remains limited.
She has not maintained the kind of public profile associated with entertainment personalities, and older reports about her residence or relationships should not automatically be treated as current.
What is documented is that she built a substantial career in community care and received recognition for her contributions.
Susan Deixler’s Life Beyond Barry Manilow
Susan Deixler’s story is often introduced through her former marriage, but focusing exclusively on Barry Manilow overlooks much of her later life.
Her decades of service demonstrate a different form of public contribution.
She helped older people obtain essential care, supported community programmes and worked to make independent living more practical for rural residents.
The recognition she received in 2024 provides evidence of the lasting importance of that work.
Her biography is therefore not simply the story of a musician’s former wife. It is also the story of a woman who established a meaningful professional identity and contributed to the wellbeing of her community.
Conclusion
Susan Deixler may have first attracted public attention through her marriage to Barry Manilow, but her later accomplishments provide a fuller picture of her life.
From her teenage relationship and brief marriage to decades of community service in California, she followed a path largely separate from celebrity culture.
Her contribution to elderly care, local assistance programmes and community wellbeing became an important part of her personal and professional story.
Her 2024 retirement recognition remains one of the clearest public acknowledgements of a life devoted to helping others.
Also Read: Asaad Amin: Muhammad Ali’s Son, Powerful Baseball Career and Family
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Susan Deixler?
Susan Deixler is Barry Manilow’s first wife and a former Senior Care Manager who spent around 30 years supporting older adults through West Marin Senior Services in California.
When did Susan Deixler marry Barry Manilow?
Susan married Barry Manilow in 1964. They separated after approximately one year, and their marriage was annulled in 1966.
Why did Barry Manilow leave Susan Deixler?
Manilow has explained that he was young, deeply focused on his musical career and unprepared for the responsibilities of married life.
Does Susan Deixler have children?
Yes. Susan publicly acknowledged having children in 2015. However, she has kept most details about her family private.
What did Susan Deixler do for a living?
She worked with West Marin Senior Services, initially as a volunteer and later as a Senior Care Manager. Her responsibilities included helping older residents access healthcare, transportation and community support.
Is Susan Deixler retired?
Yes. Her retirement was recognised by the Marin County Board of Supervisors in March 2024, following approximately 30 years of community service.
