Ethyl Friedman: What Happened To Shirley Povich’s Wife?

Ethyl Friedman was the wife of American sports columnist and reporter for The Washington Post Shirley Lewis Povich. Ethyl’s husband Shirley Povich joined the Post as a reporter in 1923. He was a recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) and was president of the BBWAA in 1955. Ethyl was the mother of retired television personality Maury Povich and journalist Lynn Povich.

Ethyl Friedman: Bio Summary

Who Was Shirley Povich’s Wife, Ethyl Friedman?

Ethyl Friedman was born on 17 June 1909, in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. She was welcomed into the world by her parents whose details are not available. Ethyl may have siblings but nothing is known about their lives. There are a lot of facts about Ethyl’s life that are unknown because of her private nature.

However, Ethyl Friedman was famous as the wife of Washington Post sportswriter Shirley Lewis Povich (July 15, 1905 – June 4, 1998). Shirley was a well-known Journalist, sports reporter, and columnist. Ethyl and her then-husband-to-be Shirley are said to have met each other on a blind date.

After dating for some time, Ethyl Friedman and Shirley Povich decided to be husband and wife. Ethyl became Shirley’s wife on February 21, 1932. The couple lived in Washington. Eventually, they became parents of three children, two boys and only one girl. Their children are now adults. They are all doing well in their careers.

Their sons are Maurice Richard Povich also known as Maury (b. 1939) and David Povich (b. 1935). Their daughter is Lynn Povich (b. 1943). Maury is now a retired television personality. He is best known for hosting the tabloid talk show Maury ( aired from 1991 to 2022). David is an attorney. He worked as a lawyer with Williams & Connolly in Washington.

Lynn is a Journalist, editor, and author. She was appointed the first woman Senior Editor in Newsweek’s history. Ethyl Friedman was a devoted wife to her husband Shirley Povich. She maintained a low profile even after she married her husband Shirley. Ethyl and Shirley remained married until Shirley died.

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After Shirley Povich’s death, Ethyl Friedman stayed out of the spotlight. Her husband Shirley wrote a column entitled “This Morning With Shirley Povich” (from 1926 to 1974). He was the sports editor for The Washington Post for forty-one years. He received recognition and praise for his work.

Then-Vice President Richard Nixon once told Washington Post publisher Phil Graham that “Shirley Povich is the only reason I read your newspaper.” Even after his “official retirement”, Shirley Povich continued to write for The Washington Post. His last column was published the day after his death.

Shirley Povich is the author of The Washington Senators (G.P. Putnam Sons, 1954) and All These Mornings (Prentice-Hall, 1969). A collection of his columns, All Those Mornings…At the Post was published in April 2005 (PublicAffairs). He was elected to the National Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 1984. He had received several honors and awards.

What Happened To Shirley Povich’s Wife?

Ethyl Friedman, the wife of Shirley Povich passed away on 15 April 2004. She was 94 years old at the time she died. The cause of her death has not been disclosed. She was laid to rest at Elesavetgrad Cemetery, Anacostia, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA, according to Findagrave.

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Ethyl Friedman is survived by her children Maury Povich, Lynn Povich, and David Povich, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her husband Shirley Povich died on June 4, 1998, in Washington, D.C., U.S. He died of a heart attack at age 92 years. He was buried at Elesavetgrad Cemetery, Anacostia, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA.