When people hear the name June Baranco, they often think of her long marriage to TV host Bryant Gumbel. But her story is much bigger than that. June is a calm and creative woman who lived through many hard years but still found a peaceful life afterward. Her journey is full of love, heartbreak, strength, and quiet courage.
In this article, we will look at who June Baranco really is. We will explore her early life, her love story with Bryant Gumbel, her role as a wife and mother, and the early struggles she faced inside the marriage. The goal is simple: to help you understand her life in a clear, friendly, and easy way. Let’s begin.
June Baranco Quick Bio
| Full Name | June Carlyn Baranco |
| Birthday | June 22, 1948 |
| Age (2026) | 78 years old |
| Birthplace | Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA |
| Ethnicity / Race | African-American / Black |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Height | 5′6″ (167 cm) |
| Famous As | Bryant Gumbel’s ex-wife |
| Profession | Artist, Hat Designer |
| Business | Geaux Chapeaux |
| Education | LSU (BFA), Parsons, Art Students League |
| Children | 2 — Bradley & Jillian Gumbel |
| Net Worth | Not shared (received major settlement) |
| Current Life | Private life in New York |
| Social Media | None |
Who Is June Baranco?
June Baranco is an American woman known for her long marriage to Bryant Gumbel, one of the most famous TV journalists in the country. But even though people mostly remember her as Bryant Gumbel’s ex-wife, she is also an artist, a mother, and a woman with a deep love for simple, peaceful living.
June has always been a private person. While Bryant was in the spotlight every day, June stayed behind the scenes. She cared for her family, created a warm home, and followed her love for art whenever she could. Her gentle nature made people curious, because she stayed calm even when life became extremely hard.
Many people still ask, “Who is June Baranco today?” They want to know where she is and how her life looks now. Her story feels meaningful because it shows how someone can face pain and still find a beautiful new beginning.
June Baranco’s Early Life
June Baranco was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She grew up in a warm and supportive home where kindness, respect, and hard work were important values. Her childhood was simple but full of creativity. She loved colors, drawings, and small art projects. These little moments helped shape her into the artist she later became.
As a child, June enjoyed quiet spaces. She liked spending time alone with her sketchbook or looking at the world around her. This calm way of seeing life stayed with her even as she grew older. It also helped her stay strong during difficult chapters of her life.
Her early years in Louisiana also influenced her style. The Southern culture, the soft colors of nature, and the warm community around her became part of who she was. Even today, her art carries a gentle touch that reminds people of her roots.
June Baranco’s School and Art Education
June Baranco took her art seriously from a young age. She did not treat it as a small hobby. She wanted to learn, grow, and become the best version of herself. This passion led her to study at the High School of Art and Design in New York, a place filled with talented young artists.
Later, she returned to Louisiana and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Louisiana State University. This gave her strong training in different art styles and techniques. But June wanted to learn even more. So she continued her education at well-known art schools like:
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Parsons School of Design
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Art Students League of New York
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Pierce College in California
June also trained under famous artists such as Daniel Greene and Nelson Shanks. They taught her how to work with oils, pastels, watercolors, and woodcut printing. Her skills grew strong because she learned from some of the best.
Imagine being a young artist and learning from masters. It must have been exciting and inspiring. These lessons helped June express her emotions through art later in her life.
How June Baranco Met Bryant Gumbel
The love story of June Baranco and Bryant Gumbel began in the late 1960s. June was around 16 or 17 years old when she met Bryant through a friend. It happened in Chicago during a summer vacation. At the time, Bryant was young, unknown, and still trying to find his path in life.
June remembered that Bryant stood out right away. He was confident, smart, quick-witted, and very well-spoken. She said he was very different from the boys she had dated before. He had spark. He had ambition. And she liked that.
Even though both were from Louisiana, they met far from home. Their early connection was simple and warm. They talked, they laughed, and they enjoyed each other’s company. It was young love, but it was strong.
For many years, they stayed close even though they lived in different cities. June lived in Louisiana while Bryant chased his dreams in New York. They kept visiting each other and worked hard to keep the relationship alive. This early chapter showed how deeply they cared for each other in the beginning.
June Baranco and Bryant Gumbel’s Marriage
After dating for more than a decade, June Baranco and Bryant Gumbel got married on December 1, 1973, in Baton Rouge. Their wedding was filled with family, joy, and hope. At that time, June worked as a Delta flight attendant. She loved her job, but marriage brought new responsibilities.
As Bryant’s career started to grow, June made many sacrifices. She left her job so she could support his long work hours and his growing fame. She followed him to different cities, built their home, and cared for their family. From the outside, it looked like a perfect life.
Early in the marriage, things seemed happy. Bryant was becoming successful, and June believed they were building a strong future together. They were young, hopeful, and ready to start a new chapter. But slowly, things began to change behind closed doors.
June Baranco as a Wife and Mother
June became a full-time mother and homemaker. She gave all her energy to raising their two children:
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Bradley, born in 1979
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Jillian, born in 1983
June wanted her children to grow up in a loving and safe home. She cooked, cleaned, helped with school, and made sure everything felt warm and steady. She protected their world so they never felt the stress happening around them.
While Bryant was busy with TV work and often traveling, June stayed home and kept everything running. She did not complain. She did not ask for attention. She believed her job was important — even if no one saw it.
Have you ever met someone who holds a family together quietly? That was June. She was the backbone, the gentle force, the person who created peace even when life felt loud.
But even with all the love she gave, June carried pain that no one could see.
The Hidden Pain Inside the Marriage
Not long after the wedding, June found letters from other women among Bryant’s things. At first, he denied everything. Later, he admitted parts of it. Then he promised to change. But the affairs continued for many years.
June was heartbroken. She felt alone in a marriage that looked perfect from the outside. She stayed because she believed strongly in her religious vows. She hoped things would get better. She wanted her children to grow up with both parents. She didn’t want to break her family.
But the emotional pain was heavy. She spent birthdays alone. She spent anniversaries alone. Days that should have felt special became reminders of her sadness. Still, she stayed and prayed for a better future.
Many people wonder, “Why didn’t she leave sooner?” The truth is simple: June had a gentle heart. She believed in love. She believed in family. And she believed that someday, the hurt might stop.
Why Bryant Gumbel Left the Marriage
Everything changed in June 1997. One day, June confronted Bryant about a suspicious phone call she believed was to another woman. He did not argue. He did not explain. He simply packed his bags and left the house.
June said she felt like he “shot her through the heart.” After giving almost 25 years of her life to the marriage, he walked away without looking back.
This moment became the breaking point. It was the end of their relationship and the start of a long, painful divorce.
The Long Divorce of Bryant Gumbel’s Ex-Wife
After Bryant left, the life of June Baranco changed overnight. She was suddenly alone, caring for her children, and facing a long legal battle. The divorce did not end quickly. It lasted for four long years and felt heavy for June in every possible way.
Money became a serious problem. Even though Bryant was earning almost $600,000 every month, June said she received only $250 a month to take care of her family. She had to use her own savings to buy food, pay bills, and keep the house running. Imagine working so hard for years as a wife and mother, only to feel completely abandoned. That is how June described this time in her life.
During the divorce, June’s lawyer said they were ready to show proof that Bryant had been unfaithful since the very beginning of the marriage. This added pressure to the case. But even then, June stayed calm. She did not shout. She did not fight in the media. She handled everything with quiet strength.
What June Baranco Received in the Divorce
In August 2001, the divorce finally came to an end. The court made a decision that helped bring balance and fairness back into June’s life. She received:
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50% of Bryant’s $20 million fortune
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Their Westchester estate, the home filled with memories
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A luxury apartment in New York City
These were not just “things.” They represented years of work, love, and sacrifice that June had given to her family. She had held their home together for almost 30 years. She had supported Bryant while he built his career. She had raised their children with love and grace. Now she finally received the security she deserved.
One of the strongest moments in June’s story happened when she refused to let Bryant have access to the Westchester home. She said she could not imagine another woman sleeping in her bed or stepping into the house where she had poured her heart and soul. Her art studio, her memories, her children’s old things — everything was inside that home. Taking a stand for that space showed how much she had fought to protect her life.
Life of June Baranco After the Divorce
After the divorce, June Baranco chose peace. She stepped away from the spotlight and focused on rebuilding her life. She did not go to interviews. She did not talk about Bryant in public. Instead, she looked inward and asked herself one simple question: “What brings me joy now?”
The answer was clear — art.
June returned to her creative roots. She began painting again, working with oils, pastels, watercolors, and woodcut prints. She shared her talent with local art groups and became part of communities like the Salmagundi Club and the Portrait Society of America.
This period in her life felt like a quiet healing. Each painting, each sketch, each soft color helped her create a new identity — not as someone’s ex-wife, but as a strong woman who found beauty after pain.
June Baranco’s Art Career and Hat Brand
Art opened the door to something special in June’s life — her own business. In 2011, she started a handcrafted hat brand called Geaux Chapeaux. The name “Geaux” is a sweet reminder of her Louisiana roots. The brand began in a simple way: June made a beautiful hat for her daughter’s wedding, and people loved it. They encouraged her to create more, and she did.
Her hats are unique. She uses antique fabrics, vintage trims, and soft colors to create designs that feel elegant and warm. Each hat tells a story. Each piece holds a part of her heart. This creative brand became more than a business — it became a symbol of her new life.
June also mentors young artists. She teaches them techniques, but also shares something deeper: that art can help you heal, grow, and find yourself again. This gentle wisdom is what makes June’s work so special.
Where Is Bryant Gumbel’s Ex-Wife Today?
Today, June Baranco lives a quiet and peaceful life. She is believed to stay in the New York City area, where she continues painting and designing hats. She is not active on social media. She does not search for attention. She likes living softly, in her own calm world.
People often ask, “Why is she so private?” The answer is simple: June had enough public pain during her marriage and divorce. Now she protects her peace. She builds her days around creativity, family, and gentle routines. Some people need loud places to feel alive. June needs quiet.
If you saw her today, you would see a woman who looks calm, settled, and content — a woman who chose peace and stayed true to herself.
Final Thoughts
The life of June Baranco is more than a story about a broken marriage. It is a story about strength, dignity, and the power of starting again. She faced heartbreak, loneliness, betrayal, and years of quiet pain. But she did not let these things define her.
Instead, she built a new life through art, creativity, and self-respect. She proved that healing is possible at any age. She showed that sometimes the strongest people are the quiet ones — the ones who walk away from noise and choose peace instead.
Today, June’s journey inspires anyone who has ever been hurt and still found a way to rise again. Her story reminds us that life does not end with heartbreak. Sometimes, it begins there.
(FAQs)
What is June Baranco’s net worth?
June Baranco never shared her exact net worth, but she received half of Bryant Gumbel’s $20 million fortune, plus a luxury home and a New York apartment, which shocked many people who didn’t know how much she truly gained after the divorce.
What ethnicity is June Baranco?
June Baranco is African-American, a fact many readers are surprised by because she lived a very private life outside the spotlight.
How old is June Baranco and when is her birthday?
June Baranco was born on June 22, 1948, which makes her 78 years old in 2026 — shocking for many people because she continues to live a quiet and active life.
How many children does June Baranco have?
She has two children with Bryant Gumbel — Bradley and Jillian. Both live very private lives, which surprises fans who expect children of a famous TV star to be public figures.
What is June Baranco’s race?
June Baranco is Black (African-American), and many readers are shocked to learn more about her cultural background because she stayed completely out of the public eye during her marriage.
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