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Kathryn Burrhus is the first wife of WWE legend Stone Cold Steve Austin. Born in Texas, she married Austin on November 24, 1990, before his wrestling fame. Their marriage ended in 1992, and Kathryn chose a private life away from the spotlight.
Kathryn Burrhus is best known as the first wife of Stone Cold Steve Austin, one of the most recognizable names in professional wrestling history. Unlike many who remain connected to celebrity ex-spouses, Kathryn made a conscious choice to step away from public life entirely after her divorce.
She represents a chapter in Austin’s life that predates the “Stone Cold” persona, the championship belts, and the sold-out arenas. When she married Steve Austin in 1990, he was just beginning his wrestling career, working small promotions and struggling to make ends meet. She knew him as Steve Williams—a young man with dreams, not yet the beer-smashing, anti-hero character that would later define an era.
What makes Kathryn’s story compelling is not just her connection to Austin, but her deliberate decision to maintain privacy. In an age where many capitalize on celebrity connections through social media, interviews, or reality television, she has done the opposite. This choice has earned her quiet respect among wrestling fans who value discretion and dignity.
Kathryn Burrhus was born on August 29, 1952, in Austin, Texas. Sources reporting this birth year would make her 73 years old as of 2025, though this creates some timeline questions given the “high school sweetheart” narrative with Austin, who was born in 1964. Some biographical inconsistencies exist across sources, but what remains consistent is her Texas upbringing and connection to Edna High School.
Kathryn grew up in a middle-class household in Texas, embodying traditional American values centered on family, education, and personal integrity. She attended Edna High School in Edna, Texas, where she developed a reputation for being kind, disciplined, and reserved, a characteristic often highlighted in the untold story of Kathryn Burrhus.
Those who knew Kathryn during her school years described her as grounded and genuine—someone who valued authentic connections over superficial ones, a quality that remains part of the untold story of her life. Her calm and gentle personality would later become a stabilizing influence during the uncertain early stages of Austin’s wrestling journey.
Kathryn and Steve Austin met while attending Edna High School in Texas. At the time, he was known by his birth name, Steven Williams (later legally changed to Steve Austin), a name that would become iconic in the life of Stone Cold Steve. Their friendship began naturally as classmates and gradually deepened into romance.
The connection between them was built on shared experiences, loyalty, and mutual support. Kathryn encouraged Steve as he pursued his athletic ambitions, first in football and eventually in professional wrestling. Their bond appeared solid enough that many believed their relationship would last a lifetime.
After dating for several years through high school and into early adulthood, they decided to marry. Their relationship survived the challenges of Steve receiving college football scholarships that required them to live apart temporarily, demonstrating the strength of their commitment to each other.
On November 24, 1990, Kathryn Burrhus and Steve Austin exchanged vows in a modest ceremony attended by close family and friends. The wedding reflected their humble beginnings—there was no media coverage, no elaborate celebration, just two people committing to each other, a stark contrast to the later fame of Stone Cold Steve Austin’s first marriage.
At the time of their marriage, Steve Austin was in the early stages of his professional wrestling career. He had just begun working with the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) and was wrestling under various ring names, still searching for the persona that would eventually make him famous, which later became part of the story of Kathryn Burrhus. The couple faced typical newlywed challenges: financial instability, uncertain career prospects, and the demands of building a life together.
As Austin’s wrestling career began gaining momentum in 1991, when he signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the demands on their marriage increased dramatically. He wrestled under the name “Stunning Steve Austin,” gradually building recognition in the industry.
The professional wrestling lifestyle in the early 1990s was notoriously grueling. Wrestlers faced constant travel, long hours away from home, physical exhaustion, and unpredictable income. These pressures began taking a toll on the marriage. Kathryn struggled to adapt to the reality of being a wrestler’s wife—weeks without seeing her husband, irregular schedules, and the stress that came with Steve’s physically demanding profession.
The emotional distance grew as Austin’s career consumed more of his time and energy. While Kathryn preferred a quieter, more stable life, the wrestling industry offered the opposite. This fundamental mismatch in lifestyle expectations created cracks in their relationship.
The final blow to their marriage came when Steve Austin began a romantic relationship with Jeanie Clarke, an English wrestling manager who worked professionally as “Lady Blossom,” a development that overshadowed the legacy of Steve Austin’s first wife. Clarke was working with Austin in WCW, and despite his marriage to Kathryn, they began an affair.
On August 7, 1992, less than two years after their wedding, Kathryn Burrhus and Steve Austin’s marriage was officially dissolved, marking a significant chapter in the story of Kathryn Burrhus. Some sources refer to it as an annulment rather than a divorce, suggesting the marriage may have been legally voided rather than dissolved through traditional divorce proceedings. The separation occurred while Steve was working in Japan, adding physical distance to the emotional separation.
The end of their marriage was handled with remarkable dignity. There were no public scandals, no media battles, and no attempts by Kathryn to leverage her connection to Austin for attention or financial gain. This quiet conclusion reflected her character and her preference for keeping personal matters private, much like the private life of Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Just four months later, on December 18, 1992 (Steve Austin’s 28th birthday), he married Jeanie Clarke. The rapid remarriage suggested his emotional commitment had shifted long before the divorce was finalized.
Kathryn and Steve Austin never had children together during their brief marriage. Following the divorce, Kathryn essentially vanished from public view, choosing a life completely separate from the wrestling world that had, in many ways, contributed to the end of her marriage.
After her divorce, Kathryn Burrhus made a conscious decision to step away from anything connected to celebrity culture. Unlike others who might have capitalized on their brief time in the public sphere, she chose privacy over profit.
No confirmed information exists about Kathryn’s professional career or personal life post-divorce. She has no verified social media presence, has never given interviews about her time with Austin, and has not appeared at wrestling events or reunions, maintaining a low profile similar to that of Chris Adams during his career. This complete withdrawal from public life is both rare and admirable in an era where many chase headlines.
Some speculate she may have pursued work in local industries, education, or small business ventures in Texas, but these remain unverified. What is clear is that she prioritized independence, building a life defined by her own choices rather than her past connection to a famous wrestler.
This decision to maintain privacy has earned Kathryn quite a respect among wrestling fans and media outlets. In a culture saturated with celebrity gossip and drama, her absence from tabloids stands as a testament to her dignity and self-determination.
To understand Kathryn’s significance, it helps to know what happened to Steve Austin after their divorce. Following his marriage to Jeanie Clarke in 1992, Austin’s career trajectory changed dramatically.
Clarke played a crucial role in developing the “Stone Cold” persona that would make Austin a global superstar. She reportedly suggested the name and helped shape the character that would define WWE’s Attitude Era in the late 1990s. Austin and Clarke had two daughters together—Stephanie (born 1992) and Cassidy (born 1996)—and Austin adopted Clarke’s daughter Jade from a previous relationship. They divorced in 1999.
Austin’s third marriage was to Debra Marshall in 2000. This relationship ended tumultuously in 2003 following domestic violence allegations and a highly publicized divorce, further complicating the story of Kathryn Burrhus. The controversy temporarily damaged Austin’s reputation and forced him to address accusations about his personal conduct.
Finally, in 2009, Austin married Kristin Feres, with whom he remains married as of 2025. This fourth marriage has been notably private, with both Austin and Kristin choosing to keep their relationship away from media scrutiny. The couple lives between California and Austin’s ranch in Nevada, and by all accounts, this relationship has provided the stability that eluded his earlier marriages, contrasting with the tumultuous legacy of Steve Austin’s first marriage.
Throughout his four marriages, Kathryn Burrhus represents the “before” chapter—the person who knew Steve Austin before the fame, fortune, and personal challenges that came with superstardom.
As of 2025, Kathryn Burrhus is believed to still live in Texas, where she was born and raised. However, no public records, verified social media accounts, or recent appearances confirm her exact location or current lifestyle.
Her complete absence from public life demonstrates an unwavering commitment to privacy and personal peace. This choice stands in stark contrast to the trajectory of Steve Austin’s life, which has remained in the public eye through his wrestling legacy, podcast, acting career, and various business ventures.
Among wrestling fans and those interested in celebrity relationships, Kathryn is often viewed with admiration. Her refusal to use her past marriage for attention or financial gain has kept her story grounded and dignified. In an industry and culture where drama often translates to relevance, her silence speaks volumes about her values and priorities.
For fans of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kathryn Burrhus represents an important reminder: behind every larger-than-life persona is a real person with a history shaped by relationships, choices, and the people who knew them before fame arrived.
They were married for approximately 21 months, from November 24, 1990, to August 7, 1992.
No, they did not have any children during their marriage.
The marriage ended primarily due to the pressures of Austin’s demanding wrestling career and his affair with Jeanie Clarke, who became his second wife.
What is Kathryn Burrhus doing now?
Kathryn has maintained complete privacy since her divorce, a choice that reflects the private life of Stone Cold Steve. Her current occupation, location, and lifestyle are not publicly known.
Based on the birth date of August 29, 1952, reported in multiple sources, she would be 73 years old as of 2025, though some timeline inconsistencies exist in public records.
No. Kathryn has no verified social media presence and has chosen to stay completely out of the public eye.
Steve Austin has been married four times: to Kathryn Burrhus (1990-1992), Jeanie Clarke (1992-1999), Debra Marshall (2000-2003), and Kristin Feres (2009-present).
Sources use both terms. The relationship was legally dissolved on August 7, 1992, with some records indicating an annulment rather than a traditional divorce.
