Cynthia Lennon, the first wife of John Lennon, has died at age 75, their son, musician Julian Lennon, announced via Twitter on Wednesday.
Cynthia Lennon - In Loving Memory https://t.co/jI4ONUnLo9 pic.twitter.com/cwue6VmPUv
— Julian Lennon (@JulianLennon) April 1, 2015
A rep for Julian released the following statement, according to Fox News:
"Cynthia Lennon passed away today at her home in Mallorca, Spain, following a short but brave battle with cancer. Her son Julian Lennon was at her bedside throughout. The family are thankful for your prayers. Please respect their privacy at this difficult time."
According to Billboard, Cynthia and John met when she was 18, and they married in 1962 after she became pregnant with Julian. "Their marriage was notoriously rocky, with Cynthia claiming her former husband struck her on one occasion," Billboard reported.
The couple split in 1968, and John married Yoko Ono in 1969. John and Yoko went on to have one son, Sean, who like his half-brother Julian, is a musician. John was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman outside the Dakota Hotel in New York City in 1980.
Cynthia wrote two books about her marriage and time around the Beatles: "A Twist of Lennon," published in 1978, and 2010's "John."
