The Duke once opened up about how he came to have specific preferences when it came to preferences in his partners. The first of Wayne's three marriages started with Josephine Alicia Saenz, who had a Spanish American background.

- Quora. Original question: “Who inherited John Wayne's fortune?” “John Wayne's will ensured that all seven of his children and his first wife (his second wife ԁıеԁ in 1961, per Find-a-Grave) received some compensation, either directly, or through trust funds, leaving them all with five and six-figure sums.

In 1973 she moved out of their house; however, they were never legally separated or divorced. She has always made clear that they remained married until his death. In 1984, five years after Wayne's death, Pallete married Stephen Stewart, a municipal court judge.

Michael Wayne was the eldest son of John Wayne and his first wife, Josephine Alicia Saenz, the daughter from a socially prominent Latina family living in Los Angeles. He graduated from Loyola University of California in 1956 and served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.