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Noel J. Mickelson: John Amos's First Wife and Family

Noel J. Mickelson was the first wife of the actor John Amos, married from 1965 to 1975. Their children are Shannon Amos and the director K.C. Amos.

By Mudassir Ali6 min read
Noel J. Mickelson and John Amos featured in a vintage-style editorial image about their marriage and family.

Noel J. Mickelson was John Amos’s first wife and the mother of his two children, Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos. Their family story is part of the late actor’s personal history.

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Noel J Mickelson is the first wife of the late actor John Amos. They married in 1965 and divorced in 1975. The marriage produced two children who both work in entertainment. This article sets out what public records and reporting say about her.

Who Is Noel J Mickelson?

Noel J Mickelson is an American artist and equestrian. Wikipedia records both interests in its entry on her former husband. She has kept a private life away from his public career.

She is not a performer and holds no screen credits. Almost everything public about her comes through the Amos family record. She has not given interviews or released statements.

When Did Noel J Mickelson Marry John Amos?

Noel J Mickelson married John Amos in 1965. The marriage lasted a decade and ended in divorce in 1975. Wikipedia lists those years in a marriage and divorce entry.

The couple lived in New Jersey during the early part of the marriage. Amos grew up in East Orange, New Jersey, and later moved around for work. He was building an acting career while the couple were married.

Who Are Noel J Mickelson's Children?

Noel J Mickelson and John Amos had two children together. Their daughter is Shannon Amos, a writer and producer. She founded the company Afterglow Multimedia, LLC.

Their son is K.C. Amos, a director. Wikipedia notes that he has received a Grammy nomination. Both children remained close to their father through his life.

The two siblings later disagreed over care arrangements for their parents. The Hollywood Reporter documented those disagreements in 2023. Wikipedia describes the dispute as acrimonious.

What Was John Amos Known For?

John Amos was an American actor with a career that spanned five decades. He was born on December 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey. He died on August 21, 2024, at the age of 84.

He played Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseries Roots. He was best known as James Evans Sr. on the CBS comedy Good Times. He also played Admiral Percy Fitzwallace on The West Wing.

His film work included The Beastmaster in 1982 and Coming to America in 1988. He returned for Coming 2 America in 2021. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and an NAACP Image Award.

Before acting, he studied sociology at Colorado State University. He also played college football and worked as a social worker in New York City. He signed briefly with the Denver Broncos in 1964.

When Did the Marriage End?

The marriage between Noel J Mickelson and John Amos ended in 1975. Amos remarried in 1978, to the actress Lillian Lehman. That second marriage also ended in divorce, in 1979.

Amos did not marry again after that. He lived for many years in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey. In 2018 he moved to Westcliffe, Colorado.

He left Colorado in 2023 and took up residence in Los Angeles. That year he was hospitalised, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation examined accusations about his care. Wikipedia records those later events.

What Is Not Known About Noel J Mickelson?

Little else about Noel J Mickelson has been made public. Her exact birth date and birthplace are not documented in reliable sources. No verified details of her later life or career exist.

She did not appear in the 2023 dispute coverage by name. The reporting focused on her two children and on their father. Any claim about her finances or private life is unsupported.

Readers should treat social media profiles and content-farm pages about her with caution. Those pages often repeat each other without a source. This article uses only named reporting and Wikipedia records.

What Does the Timeline of the Marriage Show?

The marriage began in 1965, early in John Amos's acting career. He had only recently moved from social work into performance. His first screen roles came in the early 1970s.

The couple were still married when his career took off. The marriage ended in 1975, before his best-known work aired. Good Times launched in 1974, and Roots followed in 1977. So the divorce came as his fame was still building.

Wikipedia records the marriage and divorce years in his entry. It lists his first wife by name and his second wife beside her. Both marriages ended in divorce within a short span.

How Has the Family Handled Public Attention?

The Amos family has been reported on at several points. Most coverage has centred on John Amos himself. His daughter Shannon has spoken about her work as a producer. His son K.C. has discussed his directing career.

In 2023 a report examined how the siblings arranged care for their parents. That reporting did not involve his first wife publicly. The family has otherwise kept private matters out of the press.

Amos himself rarely discussed his marriages in interviews. He preferred to talk about his craft and his football years. He noted that he had once signed with the Denver Broncos. A hamstring injury ended that attempt within days. He then turned fully to acting, and the rest followed.

What Else Do the Records Show?

John Amos was born in 1939 in Newark, New Jersey. He died in Inglewood, California, in August 2024. He was 84. His career ran from 1970 to 2024, across film, television and theatre.

He served in the New Jersey National Guard. He was also an honorary Master Chief of the United States Coast Guard. He studied sociology at Colorado State University. Before acting he worked as a social worker in New York City. He played football at two colleges.

Those details come from his Wikipedia entry and the sources it cites.

Why Do Readers Search for Her Name?

Interest in the family grew after Amos died in 2024. Readers looked up the people close to him. Searches also followed the earlier reporting about the family dispute.

Some pages about Noel J Mickelson make claims that no source supports. That is why this article sticks to the record and to named reporting. The dates, names and roles above are all documented. Anything beyond them would be guesswork. Public interest in Noel J Mickelson comes from that family record alone.

Her marriage to Amos is part of a wider story about the actor's life and legacy. Fans continue to trace the family's history through his work. The record above is the most that can be verified today. Everything else about her remains private.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Noel J Mickelson? She is the first wife of the actor John Amos. Wikipedia describes her as an artist and equestrian.

When did Noel J Mickelson marry John Amos? They married in 1965 and divorced in 1975.

Does Noel J Mickelson have children? Yes. She and John Amos have two children, Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos.

Who are Shannon and K.C. Amos? Shannon Amos is a writer and producer who founded Afterglow Multimedia, LLC. K.C. Amos is a Grammy-nominated director.

What was reported about the family in 2023? The Hollywood Reporter documented acrimonious disagreements between the siblings over the care given to their parents.

How old was John Amos when he died? He was 84. He died on August 21, 2024.

Conclusion

Noel J Mickelson is the first wife of John Amos, married to him from 1965 to 1975. She is an artist and equestrian with a deliberately private life. Her children, Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos, both built careers in entertainment.

The marriage record and Wikipedia entries give the firm dates. Named reporting adds later context about the family. Beyond that, little about Noel J Mickelson has been verified. Everything above comes from the sources listed below.

Related reading: Actor-family wife files continue in Dolphia Parker Blocker and the Joseph Sikora wife record.

Sources

  • John Amos - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Amos

Frequently asked questions

The questions readers search for most on this topic.

Who is Noel J Mickelson?

She is the first wife of the actor John Amos. Wikipedia describes her as an artist and equestrian.

When did Noel J Mickelson marry John Amos?

They married in 1965 and divorced in 1975.

Does Noel J Mickelson have children?

Yes. She and John Amos have two children, Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos.

Who are Shannon and K.C. Amos?

Shannon Amos is a writer and producer who founded Afterglow Multimedia, LLC. K.C. Amos is a Grammy-nominated director.

What was reported about the family in 2023?

The Hollywood Reporter documented acrimonious disagreements between the siblings over the care given to their parents.

How old was John Amos when he died?

He was 84. He died on August 21, 2024.

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Mudassir Ali

Mudassir Ali

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Six years of search work across on-page, technical and off-page SEO, advising more than 300 clients worldwide. He runs VertexSEO.com.

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