Here’s something most people don’t know. The famous name “Raquel Welch” did not come from the actress herself. It came from her first husband, James Westley Welch. She kept his name for her whole life, even after they parted ways.
James was a quiet man. He liked the ocean more than the spotlight. But he was married to one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. That alone makes his story worth telling.
Their love began when they were both just 15 years old. It started in a high school classroom in San Diego. What followed was young love, a fast marriage, two children, and a goodbye that Raquel called the hardest choice of her life.
Most of what we know about James Westley Welch comes from Raquel’s own book, her 2010 memoir. That makes his story feel personal and real. In this article, we’ll walk through his life, his romance with Raquel, their marriage, their kids, and what happened after they went their separate ways. Let’s begin.
Who Was James Westley Welch?
James Westley Welch, often just called Jim, was an American man best known as the first husband of actress Raquel Welch. He was born in 1940 in San Diego, California. That would make him around 84 or 85 years old today, if he is still living.
His mother was named Tahnee Land. He grew up with three sisters, Jan, Jerry, and Judy. So he was raised in a home full of family. He went to La Jolla High School in San Diego, the same school where he would later meet Raquel.
In his early years, James is often described as a tuna fisherman. He loved the sea. He even sailed far from home as a young man, which we’ll talk about soon.
But here’s a surprising detail. James was the stepson of the man who founded the Fed Mart Corporation, a big retail company. So his family had real business ties. Even with all this, James Westley Welch stayed out of the public eye for most of his life. He never chased fame.
James Westley Welch’s Early Life and Family
James grew up in San Diego, California, in the 1940s and 1950s. It was a sunny coastal city, close to the ocean he loved so much. Home life meant living with his mother and his three sisters, Jan, Jerry, and Judy.
His family had a link to the business world too. Through his stepfather, James was connected to the Fed Mart Corporation. His stepfather founded the company. This gave the family a comfortable standing in the area.
That comfort showed in small ways. James was one of the few boys at his school who had his own car. Back then, that was a big deal. It made him stand out among the other teenagers.
People often described James as handsome, quiet, and calm. He was a green-eyed young man with a gentle, easygoing nature. He wasn’t loud or showy. He simply had a steady charm that drew people in.
But more than anything, James felt a pull toward the ocean. Sailing and the sea shaped many of his early choices. This love for the water would soon play a big role in his young romance with Raquel.
How James and Raquel Welch First Met
The story of James Westley Welch and Raquel Welch began at La Jolla High School. They were both just 15 years old. They first noticed each other in an American government class. A simple classroom became the start of a lasting bond.
At school, they were a classic pair. Raquel was a cheerleader. James played on the football team. She saw him as handsome and calm, and she fell fast. In her memoir, she said it felt like love at first sight.
Her words were sweet and bold. She wrote that from the first moment she saw him, she felt sure she was meant to have his children. In her young, romantic heart, she fixed on Jim as her “one and only.” And she felt he was pulled toward her too.
Their young love had its own soundtrack. Their song was “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke. After football games, they would pile into the car with friends for burgers and shakes. They went to school dances too. Even when words ran out, they connected on the dance floor.
Like many teen romances, theirs was on-again, off-again. They didn’t have much in common on the surface. He was quiet. She was driven and full of dreams. But the spark between them was real, and it kept pulling them back together.
How James and Raquel Welch’s Marriage
After James came back home, the young couple did not wait long. In 1959, James Westley Welch and Raquel got married in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a simple, low-cost wedding. Raquel was just 19 years old at the time. Some reports give the date as May 8, 1959.
Not everyone was happy about it. James’s mother, Tahnee Land, gave the couple her blessing. But Raquel’s family was split. Her mother was not pleased. Her father, Carlos Armando Tejada, was downright furious about the marriage.
Raquel later admitted the truth about her choice. She said marrying Jim was something she did for her own happiness. It was also an act of defiance against her father’s wishes. She and her father had a hard, tense relationship, so this only added to the strain.
Life as a Young Married Couple
Married life started off small and simple. The young couple settled into a modest apartment in Pacific Beach. They were just two kids learning how to be adults. Raquel later joked that she called her mother ten times a day for cooking tips and cleaning advice.
Raquel worked hard during these years. She took modeling jobs and TV gigs. She even worked as a local TV weather girl. Between all this, she cooked meals and kept their little home neat and clean. She was busy, driven, and full of ambition.
But this is where cracks began to show. As Raquel’s profile started to rise, James struggled to handle it. He was a quiet man who loved the sea. Watching his young wife climb toward fame was not easy for him. Slowly, the gap between them started to grow.
James and Raquel Welch’s Two Children
During their marriage, James Westley Welch and Raquel became parents to two children. Their son, Damon Welch, was born on November 6, 1959. He arrived just months after their wedding. Their daughter came a bit later.
Their daughter, Latanne René “Tahnee” Welch, was born on December 26, 1961. She was named after James’s mother, Tahnee. So the family name lived on through her. Both children would later step into the world of show business, just like their mom.
Damon Welch grew up to be a writer, director, and actor. He earned a communications degree from Boston University. His work includes projects like “The Day the Earth Got Stoned” (1979) and “Raquel: Total Beauty and Fitness” (1984). He also appears in the newer project “I Am Raquel Welch” (2025). He was married to Rebecca Trueman, daughter of cricket star Fred Trueman, from 1990 to 1992.
Tahnee Welch became a model and actress. She built a nice career of her own. Her films include the popular “Cocoon” movies, “Sleeping Beauty” (1987), “Search and Destroy” (1995), and “I Shot Andy Warhol” (1996). Clearly, talent ran in this family.
Why James and Raquel Welch Got Divorced
Sadly, the marriage did not last. The couple separated around 1962 and were officially divorced in 1964. So what went wrong? A few things pushed them apart, and Raquel spoke about them openly later in life.
One big reason was their age. They were simply too young. Raquel said they lacked “serious relationship tools.” She was only 19 when she became a mother. She called that a “painfully young age” that added stress to their bond.
The other reason was her dream. Raquel wanted more. She hoped to move and work in theatre, with New York on her mind. James had different plans and did not share that dream. Their paths were pulling in two directions.
In the end, Raquel made a hard choice. She took their two children and moved to Los Angeles to chase her Hollywood dreams. She once said the only way to leave was to fully get out of town. In her words, she “had to vanish. And I did.”
The Painful Goodbye Raquel Never Forgot
Leaving James was not easy for Raquel. In fact, she called it the most painful decision of her entire life. She carried guilt about it for many years. She felt she had hurt the people she loved most.
In her memoir, she was very honest. She said the damage she did to her children and to Jim by leaving was “immeasurable.” Those are heavy words. They show just how much this choice weighed on her heart, even decades later.
Yet even after all the pain, one thing never changed. Raquel kept the Welch surname for the rest of her life. She never let it go. In many ways, James Westley Welch stayed with her in name, long after they parted ways.
What Raquel Said About Her First True Love
Raquel always held a soft spot for James. In her 2010 memoir, she called him her first true love. She wrote that Jim would be “unforgettable,” an always-present love. He was the man against whom all others would be judged.
That is a powerful thing to say. Raquel married four times in her life. Yet the man from her high school days remained her measuring stick for love. No matter who came next, James Westley Welch stayed close in her memory.
She saw him as her “Prince Charming.” He was the handsome young sailor who felt like a dream come true. Even when life took them apart, that early feeling never fully faded from her heart.
James Westley Welch’s Life and Career
For years, many people simply knew James Westley Welch as a tuna fisherman. That was his early path. He loved the ocean and even sailed to Peru as a young man. But there is more to his story than the sea.
Over time, James Westley Welchbuilt a very different life. By 1973, he had become the president of a large company, des cribed as a multi-million-dollar conglomerate. That is a big jump from a young sailor. His ties to the Fed Mart business world likely helped shape this success.
James was also honest about his younger self. In 1973, he admitted he was “a b*****d to Raquel a lot of the time.” But he did not paint it all as bad. He said their marriage was also beautiful and “idyllic at times.” They were, as he put it, just “kids in love.”
Raquel Welch’s Other Marriages
James Westley Welch was Raquel’s first husband, but not her last. In total, she married four times. Each time, she said, she truly believed in love. Let’s look at the men who came after James Westley Welch.
Her second husband was film producer Patrick Curtis. They were married from 1967 to 1972. Next came French-American producer and cinematographer André Weinfeld. They wed in 1980 and stayed together until 1990. This was her longest marriage.
Her fourth husband was restaurateur Richard Palmer. They married in 1999 and parted ways a few years later, around 2003. In a 2015 talk with Piers Morgan, Raquel said she did not regret any of her marriages. She had real feelings for all of these men.
She also had a brief romance with NFL star Joe Namath in the early 1970s. The two were seen together at the 1972 Academy Awards. It was a short but noticed chapter in her busy love life.
Interesting Facts About James Westley Welch
- The world-famous surname “Welch” did not belong to Raquel by birth. It came from James. She kept his name for her whole career and her whole life.
- James Westley Welch and Raquel were only 15 years old when they first met. Their love story began in an American government class at La Jolla High School.
- He was one of the few boys at his school with his own car. Back in the 1950s, that made him stand out from the crowd.
- James Westley Welch was the stepson of the founder of the Fed Mart Corporation, a large retail company. So his family had strong business roots.
- As a young man, he dropped out of high school and sailed all the way to Peru on a tuna clipper. He truly loved the ocean.
- Their daughter, Tahnee Welch, was named after James’s own mother, Tahnee Land. The family name passed down through her.
- By 1973, the once-simple sailor had become the president of a multi-million-dollar company. That is a huge life change.
- After 15 years apart, James reached out in 1977 to reconnect with his children. The reunion was warm and friendly, not bitter.
Bottom Line
The story of James Westley Welch is more than a footnote in a star’s life. He was a quiet sailor who won the heart of a future Hollywood legend. Their young love was sweet, fast, and full of dreams.
In the end, life pulled them in different directions. Fame and ambition changed everything. Yet the bond they shared never fully disappeared. Raquel carried his name and his memory for the rest of her days.
James Westley Welch lived a full life of his own, from the open sea to the top of the business world. But to many, he will always be remembered as Raquel Welch’s first true love. And that is a story worth knowing.
(FAQs)
How old is James Westley Welch?
James Westley Welch was born in 1940 in San Diego, California. This means he is around 84 to 85 years old as of 2025. However, since he lived a private life away from the public eye, there is no confirmed news about his current status today.
How old is James Westley Welch?
He was born in 1940, which makes him around 84 or 85 years old as of 2025.
Is James Westley Welch still alive?
There are no clear public records that confirm whether he is alive or has passed away. His status is simply not known to the public.
Did James and Raquel Welch have children?
Yes. They had two children, a son named Damon Welch and a daughter named Tahnee Welch. Both went on to work in show business.
Why did Raquel Welch keep the Welch name?
She kept it because it was easy to pronounce and had become well known. It also honored her first true love, and she used it for her entire career.
