Alan Greenspan, the influential economist who led the Federal Reserve for nearly two decades, died on June 22, 2026, at the age of 100.
The former Fed chairman passed away at his home from complications of Parkinson’s disease. His wife, veteran NBC News journalist Andrea Mitchell, confirmed the news in a statement, saying, “Alan passed away at our home this morning at the age of 100 from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was a giant of a man who helped shape the U.S. economy for decades under presidents of both parties, but was always honest in acknowledging his mistakes.”
Born on March 6, 1926, in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, Greenspan built a career that placed him at the center of American economic policy. He studied economics at New York University, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1948 and his master’s degree in 1950, before continuing doctoral work at Columbia University under economist Arthur F. Burns, who later became chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Greenspan served as chairman of the U.S. central bank from 1987 to 2006, working under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. His tenure covered years of strong economic growth, major financial shifts, and later criticism over policies that some economists linked to the 2008 global financial crisis.
Away from his public role, Greenspan’s personal life was closely tied to his long-time wife, Andrea Mitchell.
Related: Andrea Mitchell and Alan Greenspan’s Combined Net Worth in 2026
Alan Greenspan’s Wife Andrea Mitchell and Their Married Life
Greenspan was married to Andrea Mitchell, the longtime NBC News journalist and foreign affairs correspondent. They officially tied the knot on April 6, 1997, after a long relationship that had already lasted more than a decade.
The two first met in 1983, when Mitchell interviewed Greenspan for a story about the future of Social Security. Their connection developed slowly from there, and by December 1984, they had begun dating.
Their first dinner together later became one of the more unusual stories from their relationship. During a date at a French restaurant in New York City, Greenspan reportedly spoke to Mitchell about an essay he had written in 1961 on antitrust laws. He even invited her back to his apartment to read it, a detail often repeated as an example of his deeply intellectual personality.
After nearly 12 years together, Greenspan proposed to Mitchell on Christmas Day in 1996. A few months later, the couple married at the Inn at Little Washington in Virginia. The ceremony was private but attended by several well-known figures from politics, journalism, and public life. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg officiated the wedding, while guests included names such as Henry Kissinger, Barbara Walters, David Brinkley, and Katharine Graham.
Their marriage brought together two people who had spent their careers close to the center of Washington life. Greenspan was one of the most influential economic policymakers in the country, while Mitchell had built her reputation as a respected political and foreign affairs journalist.
Despite the demands of their careers, Mitchell often described Greenspan as supportive of her work. In her 2005 memoir Talking Back, she called him her “biggest fan” and recalled that he would tell her, “your work comes first.”
The couple also shared interests outside their professional lives, especially classical music. In 2017, they made a major gift to the University of Pennsylvania to endow the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy, linking their names to academic work on democracy, citizenship, and public affairs.
Greenspan and Mitchell remained married until his death in June 2026.
Both Had Earlier Marriages
Before his marriage to Andrea Mitchell, Alan Greenspan had an earlier marriage to painter Joan Mitchell. The two married in 1952, but the marriage was short-lived and was annulled less than a year later.
Greenspan was also romantically linked to journalist Barbara Walters in the 1970s.
Similarly, Mitchell had also been married before meeting Greenspan. Her first husband was Gilbert “Gil” Jackson, whom she married in 1970. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1975.
Jackson was known professionally for his work in educational research and data-related fields.
Did Alan Greenspan Have Any Children With His Wife? His Family Details
The late economist and his spouse, Andrea Mitchell, did not have any children together.
Greenspan was raised in New York City as an only child in a Jewish household. His early life was shaped mostly by his mother, Rose Goldsmith, after his parents’ marriage ended when he was still a young boy.
His mother, Rose, came from a family of Hungarian and Polish Jewish ancestry. Her parents, Nathan and Anna Toluchko, had immigrated to the United States around the turn of the 20th century and later adopted the surname Goldsmith. Rose was described as lively, optimistic, and energetic. She married young, at the age of 17.
Greenspan’s father, Herbert Greenspan, was of Romanian Jewish descent. He had arrived in the United States through Ellis Island as a child and later forged a career as a self-educated market analyst, stockbroker, and economic consultant. Herbert was known as an abstract thinker with a strong interest in finance and markets.
The marriage between Rose and Herbert did not last. Their differences, along with the pressures of marrying young, eventually led to divorce in 1931, when Alan was about five years old.
After the separation, Greenspan grew up mainly with his mother in Washington Heights, New York.
