In honor of Father’s Day comes the seventh photo story of John Wayne in a role he played best: Dad.
MARISA WAYNE
Marisa is Duke’s youngest daughter with Peruvian actress Pilar Pallete. John Wayne and Pilar met in 1953 and married the following year. Together they had three children: Aissa, Ethan and Marisa. Marisa, also known as “princess” to her dad, has a lot of fond memories of her father, including one involving accidentally knocking him out with a golf club, later earning her the new nickname “Nine Iron.” Marisa was just a teenager when her dad passed away from cancer, but she remembers him as “a really great dad” and having a good sense of humor: “He had real charisma—he was a genuine bright light in this world.” Today, as a founding member of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, Marisa is also the co-founder of GritCycle, one of Orange County’s first boutique fitness studios, inspiring riders to saddle-up philanthropically. As a community, GritCycle has raised over $1.2 million through its annual Gritty Up ride.