Jan Ashley was the second wife of Robert Kardashian Sr., the attorney who stood beside O.J. Simpson during his 1990s murder trial. Their marriage began in November 1998 and was annulled about a month later, which makes it one of the shortest chapters in the Kardashian family story.
Her name returned to headlines in 2012, when she told Star magazine that Robert once questioned Khloé Kardashian’s paternity. This guide covers her background, both marriages, the controversy, and her death in 2015.
Jan Ashley Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Janice Lynn Glass Ashley |
| Date of Birth | August 3, 1948 |
| Place of Birth | Amarillo, Texas, USA |
| Date of Death | October 1, 2015 (age 67) |
| Place of Death | Tulsa, Oklahoma (as reported) |
| Nationality | American |
| Pageant Title | Miss Tulsa, 1966 (as reported) |
| First Husband | John Ashley, actor and producer (married 1978, until his death in 1997) |
| Second Husband | Robert Kardashian Sr. (married November 1998, annulled about a month later) |
| Children | None of her own, according to most biographies |
| Known For | Being Robert Kardashian Sr.’s second wife and her 2012 claims about Khloé Kardashian |
| Burial Site | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California |
Who Was Jan Ashley?
Jan Ashley (born Janice Lynn Glass, August 3, 1948; died October 1, 2015) was an American former pageant titleholder and the second wife of attorney Robert Kardashian Sr. She is best known for her short 1998 marriage to him and for her 2012 comments about Khloé Kardashian’s paternity.
Outside those two moments, she stayed out of the spotlight. Most public details come from her own 2012 and 2014 interviews, so they reflect her point of view.
Jan Ashley’s Early Life and Family Background
Jan was born in Amarillo, Texas, and grew up there. Some biographies name her parents as James Douglas Glass and Monnie M. Glass, but those details are not backed by a primary record, so treat them with caution.
She was crowned Miss Tulsa in 1966, according to widely repeated biographies. Little else is documented about her childhood or schooling.
Jan Ashley’s Life Before Robert Kardashian
Before the Kardashian headlines, Jan’s public identity was tied to her first husband, a working Hollywood actor and producer. She kept a low profile throughout that marriage and left no real media trail of her own.
Jan Ashley and John Ashley: Her First Marriage
John Ashley (1934 to 1997) was an American actor, singer, and producer. He became known for 1960s beach party films, later worked on television shows such as The A-Team and Walker, Texas Ranger, and served as an associate producer on Apocalypse Now.
Film database records list Jan, under her birth name Janice Lynn Glass, as his wife from 1978 until his death. He died on October 3, 1997, at age 62, after a sudden heart attack outside a New York studio where a film was in production.
The marriage lasted about 19 years and ended with his death, not a divorce.
How Jan Ashley Met Robert Kardashian Sr.
By Jan’s account, they met in early 1998 while she was selling her house. Robert toured the property, noticed her photograph, and asked one of her late husband’s actor friends to arrange an introduction.
The two dated for about seven months, and Robert proposed during a trip to Hawaii. Jan had lost her husband only months earlier.
Jan Ashley and Robert Kardashian Sr.’s Marriage
Jan and Robert married on November 25, 1998, in Vail, Colorado. Reports say Robert’s four children, Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob, joined the couple on the honeymoon. Robert had divorced Kris Jenner in 1991.
The timeline below shows how fast events moved:
| Date | Event |
| Early 1998 | Jan and Robert meet while she sells her house |
| About seven months later | Proposal in Hawaii |
| November 25, 1998 | Wedding in Vail, Colorado |
| About a month later | Marriage annulled (December 1998, as reported) |
| September 2003 | Robert dies of esophageal cancer, after marrying Ellen Pierson |
Why Did Jan Ashley and Robert Kardashian’s Marriage End?
In her 2014 interview, Jan blamed constant tension with Robert’s ex-wife and children. She said he was upset all the time, not with her, and that the kids were after him for “money, money, money.”
Robert’s side, as reported from the annulment paperwork, was different:
- Jan’s account: Ongoing conflict with Kris Jenner and the children made life as Robert’s wife unworkable.
- Reported court filings: Robert said the couple had agreed to have a child before the wedding and that he changed his mind because he already had four children.
- Jan’s response: She disputed this and said she never planned to have a child with him.
Because the accounts differ, no single version is settled fact.
Jan Ashley and the Khloé Kardashian Paternity Controversy
In January 2012, Jan, then 63, gave an interview to Star magazine claiming Robert had told her Khloé was not his biological daughter. Ellen Pierson, who married Robert in 2003, just two months before he died, said he had doubts too.
Kris Jenner had admitted to an affair during her marriage in her memoir, which fueled the story. Khloé reacted on Twitter with a since-deleted post calling the claims low and disgusting, and she has consistently identified as Robert’s daughter.
Two points matter here:
- Documents: Reports in 2012 said Robert’s annulment papers described him as the father of four biological children with Kris.
- Evidence: To our knowledge, no test results supporting the claim have ever been made public.
What Did Jan Ashley Say About Khloé Kardashian’s Paternity?
Jan said Robert brought it up casually after the wedding, telling her Khloé was not really a Kardashian. She recalled replying with a simple “OK” and said that was the end of the conversation.
She also pointed to Khloé’s looks, describing her as taller, with lighter, curly hair. Appearance proves nothing about parentage, so this remains an allegation.
Jan Ashley’s Career and Life Outside the Kardashian Family
Very little about Jan’s working life is documented. She is remembered mainly as a former pageant titleholder, and some biographies mention real estate work, but no primary source confirms a specific job or employer. Her own account of selling a house in 1998 is the only related detail with firsthand backing.
She had no known social media accounts and gave very few interviews, mostly in 2012 and 2014. No reliable net worth figure has ever been published, so any number online is a guess.
What Happened to Jan Ashley After Robert Kardashian?
After the annulment, Jan went back to a private life and stayed out of the news for more than a decade. Robert married Ellen Pierson in 2003 and died a few weeks later.
She spoke publicly again in 2012 and once more in 2014, when she explained why her marriage ended. After that, she faded from view again and did not build a public profile on her Kardashian connection.
Jan Ashley’s Later Life and Death
Jan Ashley died on October 1, 2015, at age 67. Reports place her death in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and no cause of death has been made public.
She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California, next to her first husband, John Ashley. Her death drew very little media coverage.
What Is Known About Jan Ashley’s Family and Children?
Most biographies say Jan had no children. Reports on her annulment also noted that she and Robert had discussed having a child before the wedding, though she denied that she wanted one with him.
A few sites list a son named Cole Ashley as her child. Other sources describe Cole as John Ashley’s son without confirming Jan as his mother, so this detail is unverified. Her own parents and siblings are not publicly documented.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When did Jan Ashley die?
Jan Ashley died on October 1, 2015, at age 67. She was buried beside her first husband, John Ashley, in Hollywood Hills.
2. Who was Jan Ashley married to?
She was married twice. Her first husband was actor and producer John Ashley, and her second was attorney Robert Kardashian Sr.
3. What was Jan Ashley’s connection to Robert Kardashian?
She was his second wife. They married in November 1998, and the marriage was annulled about a month later.
4. What did Jan Ashley say about Khloé Kardashian’s paternity?
In 2012, she told Star magazine that Robert said Khloé was not his biological child. Khloé and the family have rejected the claim.
5. Why did Jan Ashley’s marriage to Robert Kardashian end?
Jan blamed ongoing conflict involving Robert’s ex-wife and children. Reported court papers also cited a disagreement over having another child.
6. What did Jan Ashley do for a living?
Her career is not well documented. Some biographies mention real estate work, but no primary source confirms it.
7. How did Jan Ashley meet Robert Kardashian?
They met in early 1998 when Robert toured a house she was selling. He saw her photo and asked a mutual acquaintance for an introduction.
8. Did Jan Ashley have any children?
Most sources say she had no children. A son named Cole Ashley appears on a few sites, but that link is unconfirmed.
Conclusion
Jan Ashley’s story is a mix of a Texas-born pageant winner, a widow of a Hollywood producer, and a bride in one of the shortest celebrity marriages of the 1990s. Her 2012 claims about Khloé Kardashian brought her back into the news, but they remain unproven allegations.
Little about her is firmly documented, so readers should separate her own recollections from verified records.
James Anderson is a passionate English grammar writer at GlobalMegzine, sharing simple language tips, word meanings, slang guides, and easy grammar knowledge for everyday readers.