Lewis Gratz Fell is best known for his brief 1976 marriage to Aileen Wuornos. At the time, Fell was a wealthy older social figure in Florida, while Wuornos was only 20 years old. Their marriage lasted about nine weeks.

The relationship took place more than a decade before Wuornos committed the murders that later made her one of America’s most infamous female serial killers. Fell’s connection to her came from a short and troubled marriage, not from her later criminal acts.

Quick Bio

Why Is Lewis Gratz Fell Still Remembered?

Fell remains known because of his marriage to Aileen Wuornos. He met her in Florida in 1976, long before her name became linked to murder cases.

At the time, Fell belonged to a wealthy social circle. He was connected with yacht club life in Florida, and reports describe him as a yacht club president. Their wedding also appeared in local society pages.

Wuornos later became known for murders committed in 1989 and 1990. Those crimes happened more than 13 years after her marriage to Fell.

Philadelphia Roots and Family Background

Lewis Gratz Fell was born on June 28, 1907, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Robert Gratz Fell and Florence Biddle Addams.

His father was linked to the Keystone Coal Mining Company and served as its president. The Fell family had strong business and social connections in Philadelphia.

Fell’s family lines also included the Gratz, Biddle, and Addams names. These families had long ties to Philadelphia society.

His early life stayed mostly outside public attention. Most records about him focus on his family background, wealth, Florida life, and short marriage to Wuornos.

Wealth and Yacht Club Life

By the 1970s, Fell was living in Florida. Reports describe him as wealthy and identify him as a yacht club president.

His position placed him within an affluent social circle. This also helps explain why his wedding to Wuornos received local society coverage.

Fell was much older than Wuornos when they met. His wealth and social position also stood in sharp contrast to her unstable early life.

How Did Lewis Gratz Fell Meet Aileen Wuornos?

In 1976, Aileen Wuornos arrived in Florida. She was 20 years old when she met Fell.

Fell was 68 at the time of their wedding. He turned 69 the following month. Their age gap was almost 49 years.

The two came from very different backgrounds. Wuornos had faced family trouble, unstable housing, and legal problems. Fell had money and a settled life within Florida society.

They married on May 4, 1976. The wedding received attention in local society pages.

The Nine Week Marriage

The marriage quickly became troubled. Reports say Wuornos became involved in fights and other incidents during the short relationship.

Fell accused her of violent behavior. One widely reported incident says Wuornos hit him with his own walking cane.

Fell later obtained a restraining order against her. Wuornos later gave a different version of the conflict and claimed Fell had also struck her.

The marriage ended on July 21, 1976. It had lasted about nine weeks.

What Happened After the Marriage Ended?

After the relationship ended, Wuornos returned to Michigan. In July 1976, she was arrested after throwing a pool ball at a bartender.

Her brother, Keith Wuornos, also died from cancer that month. She later received money from his life insurance policy.

Fell did not resume his relationship with Wuornos. No reliable record shows that the pair reunited after their separation.

Their lives moved in very different directions after 1976.

Aileen Wuornos Years Later

Aileen Wuornos became nationally known many years after her marriage to Fell.

Between 1989 and 1990, she killed seven men in Florida. She claimed the men had attacked or tried to rape her while she was working as a sex worker.

Wuornos was convicted of six murders and sentenced to death.

Florida executed her by lethal injection on October 9, 2002.

Fell had already died almost three years earlier.

Did Aileen Wuornos Kill Lewis Gratz Fell?

No. Aileen Wuornos did not kill Fell.

Her known murder series began in 1989. Fell lived until January 6, 2000.

More than 23 years passed between the end of their marriage and his death.

Fell was never listed among Wuornos’s murder victims.

Later Life in Florida

After his marriage to Wuornos ended, Fell returned to a more private life.

He remained connected to Florida and later lived in DeLand.

Lewis Gratz Fell died there on January 6, 2000.

He was 92 years old.

The Lewis Gratz Fell Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Fell’s name also lives on through the Lewis Gratz Fell Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Stetson University.

The scholarship supports students in the university’s School of Business.

It is listed as a need based scholarship.

This memorial gives Fell a lasting connection to education outside his marriage to Wuornos.

Facts About Lewis Gratz Fell

• Born on June 28, 1907, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Parents were Robert Gratz Fell and Florence Biddle Addams.
• Family roots included the Fell, Gratz, Biddle, and Addams names.
• Lived in Florida by the 1970s.
• Served as a yacht club president.
• Married Aileen Wuornos on May 4, 1976.
• Was 68 years old on his wedding day.
• Wuornos was 20 when they married.
• Obtained a restraining order during the marriage.
• Marriage lasted about nine weeks.
• Was not one of Wuornos’s victims.
• Died on January 6, 2000.
• Was 92 years old at death.
• Has a memorial scholarship named for him at Stetson University.

FAQs

Who was Lewis Gratz Fell?

Lewis Gratz Fell was a wealthy American social figure and yacht club president best known for his short 1976 marriage to Aileen Wuornos.

How long were Lewis Fell and Aileen Wuornos married?

Fell and Aileen Wuornos married on May 4, 1976, and separated about nine weeks later in July 1976.

Why did Lewis Fell and Aileen Wuornos separate?

Their marriage ended after serious conflict, including Fell’s claims that Wuornos became violent and struck him with his cane.

Was Lewis Fell killed by Aileen Wuornos?

No. Fell died in 2000 at age 92, while Wuornos’s known murders took place between 1989 and 1990.

What is the Lewis Gratz Fell Memorial Endowed Scholarship?

The Lewis Gratz Fell Memorial Endowed Scholarship supports students in the Stetson University School of Business.