Behind many famous people stands a partner most of us never really see. They live in the shadow of the spotlight, even if their story is just as interesting. Mary Lee Harvey is one of those people, and her life is worth knowing.
You likely know Steve Harvey, the comedian and TV host. Well, Mary Lee was once his wife. And here’s the interesting part. She knew him long before he became a global star.
She has often said she stood by Steve in his early years. She believes she helped support him when he was still chasing his dreams. Their story, though, did not have a happy ending.
Her life took a hard turn after a painful divorce. In this article, we’ll explore her full journey, her early life, her career, her marriage, her struggles, and where she is today. Let’s begin with her story.
Who Is Mary Lee Harvey?
Mary Lee Harvey is an American makeup artist and author. But most people know her for one big reason. She was once married to the famous comedian and TV host Steve Harvey. She was his second wife.
The two were together for about a decade. During that time, Steve’s fame grew quickly. Mary Lee, however, always preferred a quieter kind of life, away from the bright lights and cameras.
After her divorce from Steve, she stepped even further out of the public eye. Today, she lives a private, low-key life. Still, many people remain curious about her. They want to know her story beyond just being Steve Harvey’s ex-wife.
Her Early Life and Family
Mary Lee Harvey was born on October 20, 1960, in Arlington, Texas. She was raised right there in Texas, and she still has strong ties to the state today. Her early years were far from easy, though.
She grew up in a very large family. In fact, she once shared that there were ten kids in her home. That’s a big household by any measure. Life was busy, loud, and often quite hard.
In her own words, the home was full of “chaos and madness.” With so many children and little space, things were tough. She has said she didn’t feel very close to her family during those years.
Mary Lee has kept most of her family details private. What we do know is that she attended Delhi High School. Whether she went on to college after that remains unclear, as she rarely speaks about it.
Her Career as a Makeup Artist
So, what does Mary Lee Harvey do for a living? She built her career as a makeup artist. She has a real talent for the craft and made a living from it over the years. She is also known to be an author.
Her working life started in a simple way. Early on, she worked at a cosmetics store. It was a modest job, but it turned out to be a very important one. That store would change the course of her life.
Why was it so important? Because that’s where she first crossed paths with Steve Harvey. After the two met and grew close, she reportedly left that job. From there, her life took a whole new direction.
Beyond this, not much about her career is public. Mary Lee has always been a private person. She never chased fame for herself, so details about her professional work stay fairly limited. And that seems to be just how she likes it.
How She Met Steve Harvey
Now for the part many people are curious about. How did Mary Lee Harvey meet Steve Harvey? Their paths first crossed back in 1989, in Arlington, Texas. It was a meeting that would shape both their lives.
At that time, Steve was not the superstar we know today. He was still a stand-up comedian, working hard to make people laugh and build his name. Fame and fortune were still far off in his future.
Both Mary Lee and Steve were coming out of earlier marriages. Even so, they felt a strong connection right away. There was a real spark between them, and their bond grew from there.
The two didn’t rush into marriage. They dated for several years first, getting to know each other well. All of this happened before Steve became the world-famous host and comedian he is now. Their love story began in humble times.
Their Marriage and Life Together
After years of dating, the couple took the big step. Mary Lee Harvey and Steve Harvey got married in 1996. At this point, Steve was still working hard to grow his career. Big fame had not fully arrived yet.
Mary Lee has often spoken about these early years. She believes she played a key role in supporting Steve as he chased his dreams. In her view, she stood by him during the tough, uncertain times before success came.
In 1997, the couple welcomed a son named Wynton Harvey. He was born on July 18, 1997. Becoming parents added a new chapter to their life together and brought fresh joy into their marriage.
For a while, things moved along. Steve’s career began to take off, and his fame slowly grew. The marriage lasted about ten years in total. But sadly, over time, cracks started to show, and trouble was on the way.
The Divorce and What Followed
Like many marriages, theirs faced serious problems. Over time, the bond between Mary Lee and Steve began to break down. What once felt strong slowly turned painful for both of them.
Mary Lee has publicly accused Steve of being unfaithful. She has claimed that cheating played a big role in ending their marriage. It’s important to be fair here, though. Steve has firmly denied these claims over the years.
After they could not fix their differences, the couple divorced. Steve has said the divorce happened in 2005. Their split was far from smooth and later became quite public and bitter, drawing plenty of attention.
There was also the question of their son. Reports say Steve was granted custody of Wynton. As for money, different sources give different numbers about the divorce settlement. Some figures have been shared, but none are officially confirmed, so they’re best seen as rumors.
Her Legal Troubles
The story didn’t end quietly after the divorce. In the years that followed, Mary Lee posted a series of videos about Steve online. In them, she shared her side of their story and her feelings about the split.
Steve’s legal team did not take this well. According to reports, his attorney described the videos as harmful, misleading, and untrue. The situation quickly grew tense and turned into a legal matter.
There was also a court order in place. It reportedly limited what Mary Lee could publicly say about the divorce. However, she chose to speak out anyway, going against what the court had ordered.
This led to serious trouble. She was arrested for contempt of court, which means breaking a court’s rules. She was later released. After all of this, Mary Lee Harvey stepped away from the public eye and has stayed quiet since.
Her Son, Wynton Harvey
Wynton has grown into a creative young man. He studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design, a well-known school for the arts. There, he built his skills and followed his own artistic path.
His main passion is photography. He has real talent behind the camera and even held a showcase to display his work. It was a proud moment that showed his growing skill as an artist.
Wynton is also drawn to the world of fashion. He has shown interest in modeling and style over the years. Clearly, creativity runs in the family, and he has carved out his own lane within it.
Steve Harvey’s Marriages
To understand Mary Lee’s place in the story, it helps to look at Steve’s marriages. In total, Steve Harvey has been married three times. Each marriage was a different chapter in his life.
His first wife was Marcia Harvey. After that marriage ended, he married Mary Lee, his second wife. So Mary Lee holds the spot as the middle marriage in Steve’s personal story.
Today, Steve is married to Marjorie Harvey. The two tied the knot in 2007. By all accounts, they are happy and going strong, even after many years together.
Over the years, rumors have swirled about Steve and Marjorie’s relationship. Steve has publicly and firmly defended his wife. He has stated that Marjorie had nothing to do with the end of his earlier marriage, pushing back against the gossip.
Where Is Mary Lee Harvey Now?
So, where is Mary Lee Harvey today? These days, she lives in Texas, the same state where her story began. She has built a calm, quiet life far from the noise of the spotlight.
After all the drama and legal battles, she chose peace and privacy. She rarely appears in the media anymore. It seems she prefers to keep her personal life to herself, and who could blame her?
There have been rumors that she remarried. Some sources even mention a man’s name. However, none of this has been proven by a reliable source. So, her current relationship status remains unclear and unconfirmed.
What we do know is that Mary Lee found a way to move forward. After a very public and painful chapter, she rebuilt her life on her own terms. Today, she lives simply and stays out of the public eye.
Mary Lee Shackleford’s Net Worth
Now, let’s look at her finances. Mary Lee Harvey has an estimated net worth of around $500,000. It’s a modest but respectable figure, especially for someone who avoids the spotlight.
Most of her income comes from her work as a makeup artist. This has long been her main craft and source of earnings. On top of that, she has also earned money as an author.
Her divorce from Steve reportedly came with a settlement, too. Different reports mention different amounts, from a large lump sum to monthly payments. Still, these numbers are not officially confirmed, so it’s best to treat them with care.
One thing stands out about Mary Lee. She has shown real strength and independence. After a hard divorce, she stood on her own feet and kept moving forward. That quiet resilience is a big part of her story.
Interesting Facts About Mary Lee Harvey
- She was born Mary Lee Shackleford on October 20, 1960, in Arlington, Texas, where she still has strong roots today.
- She grew up in a very large, humble household. She once shared that ten kids lived in her family home, which she described as full of “chaos and madness.”
- She works as a makeup artist and is also known as an author, building a career largely away from the fame her ex-husband enjoys.
- She met Steve Harvey in 1989 in Arlington, Texas, back when he was still an up-and-coming stand-up comedian, long before he became a global star.
- She has said she supported Steve during his early, struggling years, believing she played a key role before his big success arrived.
- The couple dated for several years before marrying in 1996, and welcomed their only son, Wynton Harvey, in 1997.
Bottom Line
Mary Lee Harvey’s life is a story of ups and downs. She rose from a tough, crowded childhood in Texas to marry one of America’s biggest stars. Along the way, she saw both love and heartbreak.
Her marriage to Steve Harvey brought her into the public eye. But the painful divorce and legal battles that followed took a heavy toll. Through it all, she faced challenges most of us can only imagine.
In the end, Mary Lee chose peace over the spotlight. She stepped back, rebuilt her life, and found calm in a quiet world of her own. Her strength and independence shine through her story.
Today, she is more than just Steve Harvey’s ex-wife. She is a mother, an artist, and a woman who kept going through hard times. And that quiet strength is what makes her story worth telling.
(FAQs)
Was Mary Lee Harvey married to Steve Harvey?
Yes. The two married in 1996 and were together for about a decade before divorcing. They share one son, Wynton.
When did Mary Lee and Steve Harvey divorce?
According to Steve, their divorce was finalized in 2005. The split was public and bitter, and Steve was granted custody of their son.
Who is Mary Lee Harvey’s son?
Her son is Wynton Harvey, born in 1997. He is a photographer who studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Why was Mary Lee Harvey arrested?
She was arrested for contempt of court. She broke a court order that limited what she could publicly say about her divorce from Steve.
Where is Mary Lee Harvey now?
She lives a quiet, private life in Texas. Rumors that she remarried remain unconfirmed by any reliable source.
