Kenya Duke is a successful African-American businessman who owns Premier Sports and Corporate Travel in Ohio. Along with being a promising entrepreneur, Kenya is also an actress, model, and television personality. But, most of all, Duke is famous as the ex-celebrity-wife of the American actor and stand-up comedian Gary Owen.
Despite the criticism regarding their interracial relationship, Kenya and Gary married each other breaking all the stereotypes. The couple had one of the longest weddings and shared three children together.
Married for almost two decades, the duo was living a happy married life never complaining about anything protecting and supporting each other. But as we say, good things end sooner and their marriage also came to an end. The pair broke the heart of their fans with the news of their divorce in 2021. So, what was the reason behind their divorce?
Well, here we are going to sneak peek into the life of the comedian’s wife Kenya Duke and find out some intriguing facts about her. Stay with us!
What is The Age of Kenya Duke? Her Ethnicity
Kenya Duke is 54 years old as of 2022. She was born Kenya Simon Duke on May 9th, 1968, in the United States of America.
Talking about nationality, Kenya is an American and belongs to mixed ethnicity. Unfortunately, the information about her education and other early details is still missing. If sources are to be believed, the ex-celebrity spouse was homeschooled.
Her Father Died When Kenya Was Six
Duke is the daughter of Barbara Jean Cooper and her late hubby. Her dad was in the Navy and lost his life during the service. At the time of her father’s death, Kenya was only six years. She really misses her father especially on Father’s Day and posts about him sometimes on her Instagram.
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Kenya once said she was fortunate enough for the love and support from her family. They never made her feel fatherless and she will always be grateful for their unconditional love.
Kenya Duke Married The Comedian Gary Owen; A Day to Remember
Mrs. Owen and her husband walked down the aisle on July 19, 2003, at a private wedding party attended by their family and close friends. Regardless of the ethnic differences that her hubby often talks about in his stand-ups, the pair made up for their marriage.
Talking about their wedding it was quite a day to remember. Unlike other couples who would be punctual at their wedding ceremony, they were late. Not only this, the pair who had ordered a five-tier cake received one tier as the baker mistakenly slipped and ruined the cake.
As if it wasn’t enough to ruin the big day, the fight broke out in a club that was right in front of the church where they were tying nuptials. And it doesn’t end here, the pastor who was supposed to read the vows eventually left the ceremony.
Therefore, it is not unfair to say the wedding didn’t go as well as planned and it was indeed a day to remember. However, the lovebirds decided to renew their vows after 13 years of togetherness. Apparently, the duo exchanged vows again on December 19, 2016.
When Did Kenya First Met Her Husband Gary?
The celebrity spouse first bumped into her partner in the late 1990s during one of his performances. Gary was performing in The Comedy Club at Sunset Boulevard. No wonder, the comedian was able to attract his then-girlfriend with this humor.
When Kenya first met her partner, she used to work at a clothing company TWIsM owned by Shaquille O’ Neil. It was through him the pair met at the comedy club. Though the duo didn’t date right after their first meeting, they couldn’t hold for long.
What’s more, the idol couple again met at the same place for the second time, and this time Gary asked for her number without any delay. He asked her out after a year of talking on the phone and eventually, their bond got stronger over time.
Kenya Owen is a Mother of Three Children
Duke is a mother of her three children: two sons and a beautiful daughter. Emilio Toliver Owen who was born on 18 January 1991 is the eldest among all. She had him with her first husband and was later adopted by her second partner Gary Owen.
The couple welcomed their first child together on 27 November 2000. They named him Austin Owen who is 22 years old as of 2022.
The youngest among all, Kennedy Owen was born On 3 July 2002. She is the only daughter of Kenya and Gary. Kennedy currently studies at North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University.
Kenya Duke Owen and Gary Owen Divorced After 18 Years of Marriage
After the knot they have tied for almost two decades now, Kenya decided to release herself from it. You understood it right! One of the most understanding couples no more understands each other. It was certainly shocking news for all their fans out there leaving them heartbroken.
Kenya filed for divorce on 19 March 2021 in Los Angeles County Supreme Court. She claimed that her husband has stopped supporting her along with the children financially and hasn’t even answered her calls. Duke further said he has left her “with no choice but to file this RFO for support.”
In addition, Mrs. Owen requested the court to order her husband to provide $44,000 monthly as spousal support. She writes, “Gary has been the sole provider for the last twenty-three plus years and continues to make a substantial amount of money (even during Covid) and there is no reason why he should not continue to provide support as he has throughout our marriage.”
Who is Kenya Simon Duke’s First Husband?
Since Kenya doesn’t like to talk about her first husband, she prefers to keep remain silent about her relationship with him. Yet, her previous marriage is notably known to all. Her first groom’s name is Emilio Toliver Sr. with whom she shares a son.
While Kenya is quite a popular name in the media these days, her first spouse lives out of the limelight. She hasn’t revealed anything about him and chooses to stay out of it. Meanwhile, we have found his Instagram account under the name “Emilio Toliver.”
How Rich is Duke’s Ex-Husband Gary Owen?
Gary is an American actor and stand-up comedian who is also named “Funniest Serviceman in America.” He has featured in many movies like Daddy Day Care, Little Man, and College. Moreover, he has performed in targeted events such as Shaquille O’ Neal’s All-Star Comedy Jam Tour. He was also in the TV show on BET called The Gary Owen Show in 2016.
Achieving success throughout his life in whatever he does, Gary has also made quite a good fortune from his profession. And his net worth is $3 million.
What Does Kenya Owen Do For a Living? Her Career
Kenya is an entrepreneur, podcaster, and businesswoman. She is the owner of Premier Sports and Corporate Travel in Ohio. On the other hand, she also flips houses purchasing a revenue-generating asset and selling it for profit.
Before her nuptials with Gary, she had a job as an account manager which she revealed during her divorce. According to her, she left her previous job to solely support her spouse and his career.
In contrast, she has also starred as an actress in Aries Spears: Hollywood, Look I’m Smiling (2011), Gary Owen: Breakinn’ Out the Park (2008), and DeRay Davis: Power Play (2010).
Kenya Duke’s Social Media Handles
Being a celebrity wife and a known face in media, Kenya has a good number of followers on her social media platform. She is active on Instagram with 76.1k followers and also has a Facebook account by the name Kenya Owen with 4.2k followers. Also, she has a Youtube channel by the name Truly Kenya which she created on 7 November 2021 and has amassed 726 subscribers.
Her Net Worth
According to multiple tabloids, Kenya Duke has a net worth of 1.2 million. It is not surprising to know a businesswoman has this fortune.
