http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-32153908Cynthia Lennon, first wife of The Beatles' John Lennon, has died at her home in Spain, her family has announced.
A message on her son Julian's website said she died "following a short but brave battle with cancer".
It said: "Her son Julian Lennon was at her bedside throughout. The family are thankful for your prayers."
Julian also tweeted a picture of his mother, who was 75, inside a heart with the message "In Loving Memory".
Cynthia met Lennon at art school in Liverpool in 1957 and the couple married just before Beatlemania transformed her husband into one of the most famous men in the world.
At the height of The Beatles' early success she was, at the insistence of the band's management, kept in the background so their legions of female fans were not aware of her existence.
She stayed at home bringing up Julian while the Fab Four toured the world and topped the charts.
The couple divorced in 1968 after Cynthia discovered her husband's affair with Japanese artist Yoko Ono.
In 2009, Cynthia spoke to BBC News about her life with John.
'Refined and reserved'
Former Beatle Ringo Starr tweeted: "Peace and love to Julian Lennon God bless Cynthia love Ringo and Barbara xx".
Hunter Davies, who wrote the only official biography of The Beatles in 1968, described Cynthia as "a lovely woman".
"When I was writing the book I spent two years with them, visiting her home and spending time with her," he said.
"She was totally different from John in that she was quiet, reserved and calm.
"She was not a hippy at all. I think it was the attraction of opposites between them. When they got together at art school everyone was amazed - she was seen as refined and reserved and nobody thought they would last."
He added: "John treated her appallingly. He slept with Yoko in their marital home and, as we discovered later, he also physically attacked her but she was loyal to him."
After divorcing Lennon, she married three more times.
In 1970 she wed Italian hotelier Roberto Bassanini and six years later married engineer John Twist from Lancashire. Both relationships ended divorce.
At the height of The Beatles' early success she was, at the insistence of the band's management, kept in the background so their legions of female fans were not aware of her existence.
She stayed at home bringing up Julian while the Fab Four toured the world and topped the charts.
The couple divorced in 1968 after Cynthia discovered her husband's affair with Japanese artist Yoko Ono.
In 2009, Cynthia spoke to BBC News about her life with John.
'Refined and reserved'
Former Beatle Ringo Starr tweeted: "Peace and love to Julian Lennon God bless Cynthia love Ringo and Barbara xx".
Hunter Davies, who wrote the only official biography of The Beatles in 1968, described Cynthia as "a lovely woman".
"When I was writing the book I spent two years with them, visiting her home and spending time with her," he said.
"She was totally different from John in that she was quiet, reserved and calm.
"She was not a hippy at all. I think it was the attraction of opposites between them. When they got together at art school everyone was amazed - she was seen as refined and reserved and nobody thought they would last."
He added: "John treated her appallingly. He slept with Yoko in their marital home and, as we discovered later, he also physically attacked her but she was loyal to him."
After divorcing Lennon, she married three more times.
In 1970 she wed Italian hotelier Roberto Bassanini and six years later married engineer John Twist from Lancashire. Both relationships ended divorce.
She later wed former nightclub owner Noel Charles in 2002. He died in 2013.
Topic: John Lennon's wife- Cynthia Lennon has died. (Read 1190 times)