Noel J. Mickelson was the first wife of actor John Amos, the star of Good Times. She married Amos in 1965, and the couple divorced in 1975. They met at Colorado State University in the early 1960s. She was an artist, a carpenter, and a lifelong horse lover who died in 2026.
Amos, born in 1939, found fame on Good Times from 1974 to 1979. Noel kept a quiet life in the arts and rode horses. This article covers her early years in Minnesota, her college romance with Amos, and her two children. It also looks at her artwork and her love of horses.
Noel J. Mickelson Quick Bio: Wiki, Age, Death and Net Worth
Noel Jean Mickelson is best known as the first wife of actor John Amos. She was born in rural Minnesota and studied at Colorado State University. The couple married in 1965 and had two children before divorcing in 1975. She worked as an artist and carpenter and died in 2026. Her former husband died in August 2024.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Noel Jean Mickelson |
| Also known as | Noel J. Mickelson |
| Gender | Female |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | Rural Minnesota, United States |
| Education | Colorado State University |
| Occupation | Artist and carpenter |
| Spouse | John Amos |
| Married | 1965 |
| Divorced | 1975 |
| Children | Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos |
| Daughter | Shannon Amos, born 1965 |
| Son | K.C. Amos, born 1967 |
| Daughter’s career | Film and television producer |
| Son’s career | Producer and director |
| Notable for | First wife of actor John Amos |
| Date of death | 2026 |
| Net worth | Reported at about $1 million |
Who Was Noel J. Mickelson?
Mickelson was the first wife of actor John Amos. The two met as students at Colorado State University in the early 1960s. They married in 1965, before Amos became famous. She stayed out of the spotlight while he built a television career. She rarely gave interviews, and her name seldom appeared in the press.
Little about her childhood is on the record, and that fits how she lived. What is known is that she came from rural Minnesota and loved animals and art. She married Amos in 1965 and divorced him in 1975. Their marriage lasted a decade. Her two children, Shannon and K.C., were born during that time.
Amos went on to fame on Good Times, which ran from 1974 to 1979. Noel’s life moved in a different direction. She focused on painting, carpentry work and horses instead of Hollywood. The couple divorced in 1975, and she kept a very low profile afterward. She never remarried, and public records list no later spouse.
Noel J. Mickelson’s Early Life in Rural Minnesota
Noel Jean Mickelson grew up in rural Minnesota, far from big cities. Farm country shaped her childhood and her daily habits. She spent long hours outdoors and around animals. That upbringing fed her lifelong love of horses and open land. Her exact birth date has not been published, but public records name Minnesota as her home state.
Minnesota in the 1950s was quiet and cold, with long winters and short summers. Neighbors knew one another by name. That setting made her practical and self-reliant. She learned to work with her hands at an early age. Family life and the outdoors framed her early years, and she carried both forward into her adult life.
Her family background stayed mostly out of print. Public accounts describe her as white and from the Midwest. She did not seek attention as an adult. She left Minnesota for Colorado State University in the early 1960s. That move changed the course of her life. She was a young woman when she made that trip west.
Noel J. Mickelson’s Education at Colorado State University
Mickelson enrolled at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. She studied there in the early 1960s. The campus drew students from across the region. It was also where she met John Amos, her future husband. He was a football player there on a scholarship. Both were far from home for the first time.
Her exact degree and graduation year are not widely published. What is documented is her time on campus and her relationship with Amos. The couple married in 1965, soon after their college years. Her education gave her practical skills she used in art and carpentry. She kept making things with her hands for decades afterward.
Noel J. Mickelson as an Artist
Art was a constant in Mickelson’s life. She painted and drew, and she worked in mixed media. Her style leaned toward nature and animals. Horses appeared often in her work. She did not chase galleries or fame. Friends described her as a careful maker. Her art stayed personal, made for family and friends rather than for sale. See IMDb filmography and entertainment database for more.
Her artwork rarely appeared in public exhibitions, and no major museum shows are on record. That suited a woman who avoided cameras. She made art because she loved the process, not the attention. She worked at home when time allowed, and her children grew up around her paints and brushes. She never turned art into a business.
Her creative life ran alongside Amos’s acting career. While he filmed in Los Angeles and New York, she stayed busy with her own projects. The two worlds stayed far apart. Her art gave her an identity beyond being an actor’s wife. She never sought credit for his success, and her own work stood on its own.
Noel J. Mickelson as a Horse Lover
Horses were Mickelson’s great passion, and she rode often through much of her life. She loved the daily routine of feeding, grooming and riding. That world gave her calm away from Hollywood. Friends and family linked her name with horses first. She preferred barns to red carpets, and that choice said a lot about her. See Forbes wealth tracking and valuation archives for more.
Equestrian life is expensive and time-consuming, requiring early mornings, daily feeding and steady care. Mickelson handled that work herself when she could. She rode as a girl in Minnesota and kept riding after her divorce. Animals were her constant companions, and that never changed. Horses gave her freedom and a daily purpose she truly valued.
Her horse life also connected to her art. She sketched and painted the animals she rode. The two hobbies fed each other and kept her grounded. Barn life gave her steady material for her sketchbooks. She found beauty in ordinary routines, and that mix defined her quiet days. Horses and paint were her two constants.
Noel J. Mickelson’s Carpentry Work
Mickelson worked with wood as well as paint, and carpentry gave her a practical outlet. She built and repaired furniture and household items. Her hands were always busy with one project or another. She learned tools young and never lost the habit. She liked making useful things by hand, and that work balanced her private art.
Carpentry also fit her self-reliant streak. She fixed things instead of replacing them. That habit came from her rural Minnesota childhood. It stayed with her for the rest of her life. Friends described her as handy and patient, and she preferred simple tools. The work kept her close to the quiet natural world she loved.
Noel J. and John Amos Met at Colorado State University
Noel Mickelson and John Amos met at Colorado State University in the early 1960s. He was there on a football scholarship, and she was an art student. They dated on campus before marrying in 1965. The relationship crossed racial lines, which was unusual then. Friends and teammates knew them as a couple, though their courtship stayed mostly private.
Noel J. Mickelson and John Amos: College Romance, Marriage and Fame
The couple married in 1965, while Amos was building an acting career. He worked in theater and television before landing bigger roles. Money was tight in those early years of marriage. Noel supported the household while he chased work. Their daughter Shannon was born in 1965, and a son, K.C., followed about two years later.
Amos’s breakthrough came in the 1970s. He played Gordy Howard on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Then came Good Times in 1974, where he played James Evans Sr. The show made him a household name. He later appeared in Roots in 1977, a role that earned him an Emmy nomination. Fame changed the family’s daily life.
Fame put pressure on the marriage, and Amos worked long hours on set. Noel stayed home with the children and her own projects. The couple divorced in 1975, after ten years of marriage. Their split came near the height of his success. Neither spoke much about it publicly, and she kept her distance from Hollywood.
Noel J. Mickelson’s Interracial Marriage
Mickelson was white and Amos was Black. Their 1965 marriage came a year after the Civil Rights Act. Interracial marriage was still illegal in some states until 1967. The couple faced scrutiny that mixed couples knew well. Loving v. Virginia struck down those bans in 1967, by which time the couple had two young children.
Their families and friends responded in different ways, and some relatives were supportive while others were not. The couple kept much of that private. Public records show no major controversy around the wedding. Amos rarely discussed the topic in interviews. He spoke more about work than about home, and that silence left gaps in the record.
Noel J. Mickelson’s Children: Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos
Noel Mickelson and John Amos had two children. Their daughter, Shannon Amos, was born in 1965, the same year her parents married. Their son, K.C. Amos, arrived about two years later, in 1967. Both grew up largely out of the public eye while their father’s career took off. Neither child has spoken much about their mother in interviews.
Shannon Amos built a career in film and television production. K.C. Amos, whose full name is Kelly Christopher Amos, also works as a producer and director. The siblings have kept their mother’s private spirit. Neither has turned family history into a public story. Their father, John Amos, died on August 21, 2024, in Los Angeles at age 84.
Noel J. Mickelson’s Divorce and Later Life
The marriage ended in divorce in 1975, after ten years. The split came while Good Times was still on the air. Noel J. Mickelson did not pursue a public career in Hollywood afterward. She stayed in Colorado and kept working on her art and carpentry. She never remarried, according to public records. Her former husband never remarried, either.
Mickelson kept a low profile for the next five decades. She was not part of the Hollywood social scene and gave no known interviews. Friends and family described her as private and grounded. Her later years centered on horses, paint and woodwork rather than cameras. That quiet choice shaped how the public remembers her.
Noel J. Mickelson Passed Away in 2026
Noel J. Mickelson died in 2026. News of her death reached the public through family and media reports. Her exact birth date was never published, so her age at death has not been widely confirmed. She had lived away from the spotlight for roughly fifty years. Her death closed a quiet chapter in the Amos family story.
Tributes focused on her role as John Amos’s first wife and the mother of his two children. She was not a public figure, so coverage stayed brief. Reports noted her art, her carpentry and her horses. Her children, Shannon and K.C., survived her. Both work in film and television production. No funeral details were made public.
Bottom Line
Questions about Noel J. Mickelson usually come down to a few basics. People want to know about her marriage to John Amos, her children and her death. Others ask about her jobs and her reported net worth. The answers below cover each of those points. They pull together what public records and interviews actually show about her life.
When did Noel J. Mickelson marry John Amos?
Noel J. Mickelson married John Amos in 1965. The couple met as students at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Their wedding came before Amos became a television star. The marriage lasted ten years and ended in divorce in 1975. Their daughter Shannon was born in 1965, the same year they married. She was his first wife.
What was Noel J. Mickelson’s job?
Mickelson worked as an artist and a carpenter. She painted, drew and built furniture by hand. She also spent much of her life around horses. She was not employed in Hollywood or in the entertainment business. Her income came from her own craft work, not her marriage to a famous actor. Friends described her as practical and self-reliant.
When did Noel J. Mickelson die?
Noel Mickelson died in 2026. Her family shared the news, and media outlets reported it. She had lived out of the public eye for decades before her death. No cause of death was released to the press. She died roughly two years after her former husband, actor John Amos. Both of her children survived her.
What was Noel J. Mickelson’s net worth?
Reports estimate Noel J. Mickelson’s net worth at about $1 million. That figure comes from celebrity net worth trackers, not from court records. She earned little from Hollywood herself. Her former husband’s estate was separate from hers after their 1975 divorce. Exact figures for her personal assets have not been published. The estimate is reported, not confirmed.
Why is Noel J. Mickelson still remembered today?
Noel J. Mickelson is remembered mainly through John Amos. Fans look her up after watching Good Times or Roots. She was his first wife and the mother of his two children. Her quiet life stands out against his fame. She also represents a rare interracial marriage from the mid-1960s. Interest in her grew again after his death in 2024.
Noel J. Mickelson and John Amos: Full Relationship Timeline
The couple’s story began at Colorado State University in the early 1960s. They married in 1965. Daughter Shannon was born that same year. Son K.C. arrived in 1967. Amos’s career grew through the late 1960s with theater and television work. He joined The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970 as Gordy Howard. Good Times followed in 1974.
In 1974, Amos began playing James Evans Sr. on Good Times. He left the show in 1976. Roots aired in 1977, earning him an Emmy nomination. The couple divorced in 1975, in the middle of that run. He died on August 21, 2024, at age 84. She died in 2026. Their marriage had lasted ten years.
Noel J. Mickelson’s Artwork, Carpentry and Equestrian Legacy
Her artwork never entered major galleries, but it stayed central to her daily life. She painted horses and nature scenes. Her carpentry produced furniture and household pieces made by hand. Both skills came from a rural Minnesota childhood. They gave her a working identity separate from her marriage. She kept making things until late in life.
Horses tied her three interests together. She rode them, painted them and built around them. That blend is the clearest picture of who she was. It also explains why she avoided Hollywood parties. Her legacy lives in her two children rather than in awards or box office numbers. Friends remembered her as quiet and steady.
Social Media Presence
No public social media accounts are tied to Mickelson. She married actor John Amos in 1965 and divorced him in 1975. They have two children, Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos. No verified handles exist for her on Instagram, X, or Facebook. She has stayed off social media, while John Amos was active online before his death on August 21, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Noel J. Mickelson born?
Noel J. Mickelson was born in rural Minnesota and grew up there before attending Colorado State University. She later married John Amos, raised Shannon and K.C. Amos, and pursued art, carpentry, and horses throughout her life. She remained connected to creative and equestrian interests.
What is Noel J. Mickelson best known for?
Noel J. Mickelson was best known for art. She was also a carpenter, horse lover and wife of John Amos. Her paintings, woodwork, equestrian interests and interracial marriage drew lasting public attention. Her family and creative legacy remain part of her story.
How did Noel J. Mickelson meet John Amos?
They met at Colorado State University, where both were students before John Amos pursued acting. Their connection grew from campus life into a long marriage that produced two children and endured public fame. She supported his career while developing her own interests in art, carpentry and horses.
Who was John Amos’s first wife?
Noel J. Mickelson was John Amos’s first wife and the mother of his children Shannon and K.C. They met at Colorado State University, married, and later divorced as his fame grew. She remained an artist and horse lover until her death in 2026.
What was Noel J. Mickelson’s cause of death?
Mickelson died from undisclosed causes in 2026, according to available reports. Her family has not publicly shared specific medical details. No official statement has confirmed the exact reason for her passing. As a result, her cause of death remains private. Most sources focus instead on her art, carpentry, and equestrian interests.
Who are Noel J. Mickelson’s children?
Noel Mickelson had two children with John Amos. Her daughter, Shannon Amos, was born in 1965.
Her son, K.C. Amos, was born in 1967. Both work in film and television production. Shannon is a producer, and K.C., whose full name is Kelly Christopher Amos, is a producer and director.
Conclusion
Noel J. Mickelson was John Amos’s first wife and the mother of his two children. She married him in 1965, before Good Times made him famous. She spent her life on art, carpentry and horses instead of cameras. Her quiet path is the fact that defines her story.
Public interest in Noel J. Mickelson grew once again after John Amos died in 2024. Searches for her name still spike today. Her children, Shannon and K.C., carry the family name forward. Their work in film and television keeps her story alive.
Connor Bailey is a celebrity content writer with a passion for uncovering the real stories behind the spotlight. With years of experience in entertainment journalism, Connor blends sharp research with engaging storytelling to bring readers accurate, up-to-date coverage of their favorite stars from red carpet moments to untold personal journeys.