Despite losing the love of her life, Shirley Jones still looks amazing.
Jones’ dreams came true—she had a large family and once spoke out about her daily life with her closest people.
Jones’ grandkids inherited the same wild spirit as their famous grandma! She can still shock at her age.
Showbiz veteran Shirley Jones still looks fabulous at her age and was spotted out to dinner with friends in Los Angeles in August 2022.
Jones and her pals dined at Delmonico’s Steak and Lobster House, which is known as a popular upscale establishment in Encino. The retired actress wore a pink tracksuit paired with sneakers and a visor for the outing.
One fan shared her picture on Twitter, expressing exhilaration for the Pennsylvania native’s rare public appearance.
“Come on get happy! ‘Patridge Family’ star Shirley Jones, 88, sports a pink tracksuit in a rare sighting in LA,” the social media user penned.
Over the years, the “Elmer Gantry” Academy Award winner has made a few appearances, attending show business events.
In June 2019, the doting mother of three was out and about when she attended the 73rd Annual Tony Awards in New York City.
At the time, the film star was accompanied by her eldest son, Shaun Cassidy, to the event that took place at Radio City Music Hall.
Jones donned a long black sequined gown with matching shoes and a purse for the occasion. Meanwhile, her son opted for a navy blue suit.
In one of her public appearances dating back to May 2021, fans could not help but swoon over her as they complimented her look on social media.
“Shirley Jones looks fantastic!” wrote one Twitter user. Another person referenced her Tony Awards red carpet appearance and said she “looks terrific.”
At the same time, one other individual echoed the same sentiments about the “Oklahoma” star, writing, “My god, Shirley Jones looks AMAZING!!”
Actress Morgan Fairchild also gushed about her dear friend online alongside a photo of the two women beaming. “So great to see my friend, the legendary Shirley Jones! Terrific lady.”
My god Shirley Jones looks AMAZING!! #TonyAwards https://t.co/pc73qxbAif
— Tina W (@tmwinsett) June 10, 2019
Meanwhile, back in February 2014, one fan of Jones raved about her on Twitter, expressing, “I love Shirley Jones. She looks terrific.”
One other person who appreciates Jones is her second son Patrick Cassidy. He shared a picture of the mother and son duo widely smiling in November 2021, revealing he had a great time with her in Tennessee.
Patrick’s Instagram followers commented on the said post, and one person said Patrick was “blessed” to have his mother in his life still.
“She looks fabulous,” the user wrote. In agreement, another penned that she remains gorgeous, “Still a stunning lady.”
A third social media user enthusiastically said the award-winning musical film icon still looks fantastic, writing, “She looks great!!!!”
While a fourth individual complimented the mother and son pair on the photo, stating, “Great picture, your mom is a beautiful lady.”
Jones Raised Her Own “Boys Band” Right — Who Are Her Sons Today?
Jones is a matriarch of a big family with three adult sons. Apart from Shaun and Patrick, she is also a mom to Ryan Cassidy. She shares her sons with her first former husband, Jack Cassidy – with whom she was married from 1956 to 1974.
The loving parent, who called her “wonderful sons” blessings, said nothing compares to being their mom despite her massive Hollywood success.
She proudly stated she raised her children, who “grew up to be great men of accomplishment,” and relishes having her grandchildren over from time to time:
“I am an only child, so to have all this family is amazing. You have to enjoy this moment – the now – because that’s all we have.”
Jones’ sons followed in her footsteps by pursuing careers in the entertainment industry. But it was not the case for her youngest son Ryan initially, as he wanted to become a law enforcement officer.
However, after graduating from Beverly Hills School in 1984, he sought an acting career that continued until the late ’80s. Ryan appeared in “The Facts of Life” and “Jesse Hawkes.”
Came the ’90s, the California native left acting and started working behind the scenes most of the time. But in 2000, Ryan decided to return to the screen by re-establishing himself as an actor.
As for Jones’ second son, Patrick, he had the honor of working alongside her on Broadway. They opened up about his journey to fame during a joint interview in November 2019.
Jones revealed that his son and stepson, David Cassidy, graced magazine and record covers and raked in millions of dollars, but they became reckless with their earnings. “Within two years, it was all gone,” she said.
The siblings realized they had to go back to the drawing board. Fifteen years later, they strategically returned to be taken seriously as acting professionals. Jones revealed her then-husband was livid with the pair but eased up when Patrick made good progress.
Jones and her son made history in 2004 by becoming the first mother-and-son duo to co-star on a Broadway show, a revival of “42nd Street.” Reflecting on their achievement, the proud mom said there was more to their success:
“At our ages, that was a wonderful experience for a mother and son to go through.”
However, there were challenging times as well, Jones revealed. When Patrick was fifteen, he was “a nice boy and a great athlete, but also hyper. He was an absolutely off-the-wall-kid,” she said with a laugh.
Patrick recounted that he was “hellbent on getting a car when I turned 16,” revealing that his mother was okay with it only if he would pay for the vehicle from his pocket. “I thought, ‘Great, how am I going to earn that working at Swenson’s Ice Cream Store?'” Patrick replied, and his mom burst into laughter.
Patrick is now a happily married man. He and his actress wife, Melissa Hurley, celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary on February 12, 2023. The actor commemorated the couple’s milestone with a lengthy tribute on Instagram alongside a black-and-white image of the pair holding hands and showing off their rings.
Patrick and Melissa tied the knot in 1994 and welcomed two sons—Cole, who was born in July 1995, and their young son Jack, who arrived in August 1998.
As for Jones’ first child, Shaun is a singer known for his hit song, “Da Do Ron Ron,” which reached No.17 on the German charts in April 1977. It also reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No.1 on the Cash Box Top 100, and No.1 on RPM Magazine’s Canada Top Singles.
Besides his singing career, Shaun also ventured into acting, starring in “The Hardy Boys Mysteries” and “Break Away” TV shows in the 1970s. Afterward, he toured the world, had concerts, and worked in the theater for ten years.
Shaun’s career was not as successful as his mother and brother David in the beginning, but that all changed in 1994 when he starred on Broadway with his sibling in the hit musical, “Blood Brothers.”
Unlike his two brothers, Shaun showed more interest in the creative side of showbiz and pursued work behind the cameras and has since written for three TV films and is a creator and a writer.
Jones maintains a good relationship with her children and her daughter-in-law, Tracey Turner, Shaun’s wife, whom he married in 2004. In a social media post, he wrote about the two women in his life who made funny faces on the snap. Shaun said while he was busy with work, they were gallivanting the streets of Nashville.
On Mother’s Day in June 2022, the producer paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife and mom, including his mother-in-law, Judy. He shared a photo of Jones and Turner; all smiles with their heads together leaning in.
Jones Was Lucky to Find True Love in Her Life – What Happened?
Jones started her family with her beloved husband, Jack, whom she married at age 22 in 1956. She revealed their union was “passionate and all-consuming,” adding:
“He was my first love and the love of my life. He also gave me an incredible sex life.”
Despite being in marital bliss, it all went downward when Jack told her he wanted out of their marriage. Jones later stated she believed starring in “The Partridge Family” sitcom was why he wanted to leave her, and she did not want to throw in the towel.
She recalled the actor breaking down the news in a restaurant, telling her they should split even though he loved her. Jones admitted she was left in tears after that conversation.
During that period, Jack suffered from alcoholism, and they both agreed that she could do nothing to help him overcome his addiction. The couple divorced in 1974 after eighteen years of marriage.
In 1976, Jack reached out to his ex-wife, inviting her for drinks – and possible reconciliation – but she declined. The New York native later died in a fire after falling asleep with a lit cigarette. Meanwhile, Jones admitted she regretted her decision to reject his efforts to mend their relationship:
“I wanted him. That’s the terrible part.”
Jack had bipolar disorder. His former spouse said he was a “very, very strong force” in her life, adding she “never fell out of love” with him.
Regardless, she remarried and wed actor Marty Ingels in 1977. They remained married until his death in October 2015 after 38 years together.
Even so, Jones later admitted she would not have gotten hitched to him if Jack were still alive, as she desired to rekindle their romance until the day he passed.
Despite Jones’ stance on her relationship with Ingels, they raised good sons together, and she is now a grandmother to her and Jack’s grandchildren.
Jones’s Grandkids Are Her Younger “Copies” & Not Just on the Outside
Jones has thirteen grandchildren who inherited the same wild energy she has. She has a grandson named Jack from Patrick’s side.
Jack spoke fondly of his childhood as he grew up in a musical family, having uncles David and Shaun as former teen idols. He said the experience was one of a kind.
Jack’s uncle, Shaun, shared a post on June 9, 2022, after his performance in Texas at the Dosey Doe Big Barn and said it was “an incredible night.”
Later that month, his nephew Cole, Jack’s brother, divulged on social media that he had done “13 shows in 13 cities” and enjoyed every moment while thanking his uncle Shaun for sharing the stage with him.
Despite having famous relatives, Jack revealed his parents instilled “normal family and love” values in him and kept him “grounded.” His mom sent him to church camp during the family’s tough times, and she hoped her children would “find Jesus.”
They are adored by their grandmother, who enjoys having them at her home. She once revealed that Ingels was an “incredible grandpa” to them.
Although she is an aged grandma, Jones planned on doing something to pump up her adrenaline rush in 2014. For her 80th birthday, she wanted to go skydiving, but her family intervened and suggested against it. Her sons and grandkids made her reconsider, a spokesman revealed.
Because Jones has so many grandchildren, some hardly appear in public. In May 2019, her son Patrick posted a group photo of the family, and her grandson Caleb Cassidy was in the picture.
Caleb’s famous uncle Shaun posted another snapshot of him at prom with his date as they beamed for the camera. He wrote that he loves the duo.
Patrick keeps his family more private than his brothers, yet he openly talked about their life in a post in October 2020 after sharing a photo of him, his brothers, and their beloved mother smiling from ear to ear.
Patrick explained it was the last picture they took before he, his wife, and his kids moved to Tennessee in November 2019.
He shared that his family was in good health, including relatives. Patrick revealed he and the mother of his children were both working – as he started a new job as an Artistic Director for Studio Tenn.
The father of four added he was fortunate to work alongside a supportive team and was “blessed” to have musicians who trusted him with their craft.
Meanwhile, his younger brother Ryan showed off his daughter in a February 2022 Facebook post. She posed outdoors in a blue dress.
Ryan’s older sibling Shaun also shared a selfie of him and his daughter Juliet in April 2019 and disclosed they had been working on a photoshoot. The “Hey Deanie” singer has seven kids altogether.
Shaun welcomed Juliet with television actress Susan Diol on March 19, 1988. They were married from 1995 to 2003. He has another daughter with his current wife, Turner, a daughter named Lila, born in December 2008. The couple’s fourth child, another daughter, Mairin, arrived in June 2011.
Shaun often shares glimpses into his family life, especially what his kids are up to. He once shared a snapshot showing four of his offspring at the beach. Another snap from March 2020 showed her daughter catching a pig on the lawn.
Shaun also gushed about one of his children playing the piano and said he was not the only person playing the musical instrument.
In a post dating back to May 2021, the Hollywood star shared a photo of his daughter swinging from a tree with her head upside down as she posed for her father.
Besides hanging on trees, Shaun said all his daughters enjoy riding horses. In January 2022, he posted a photo of his child posing between two horses and revealed they went “Barrel Racing.” Two months later, he shared another upload of Lila on top of a white horse and said they were in New Mexico.
Besides riding horses, Shaun teaches his brood how to play poker. In February 2022, he posted a picture of his daughter Mairin smiling while focused on the game. “Yeah, raising them right at the Cassidy house,” he captioned the post.
