Noel J. Mickelson: The Life And Legacy of A Trailblazing Artist and Equestrian and John Amos’s Ex-wife

Noel J. Mickelson may not be a household name, but the story of her life is one of bravery, creativity, and deep cultural significance. Married to actor John Amos, the life of Mickelson crossed paths with that of art, athletics, and social justice. She lived during a time in which interracial marriage was forbidden in much of the United States, and her brave choices laid the groundwork for greater openness.

Besides her famous marriage, Noel was also a skilled artist, an able carpenter, and a tough horsewoman. She lived her life by her own rules, often going against adversity that would stop anyone else. Today, her legacy is through her children and the great story she has left behind.

Quick Bio

Who Was Noel J. Mickelson?

Noel J. Mickelson was a talented rider and artist and is best known for her relationship with actor John Amos. She was born in the 1943 in Minnesota’s Jackson County. She came of age during the time when women, especially women in the arts, typically struggled to find their place in society. Noel, however, made a name for herself not by imitating others but by creating her own path in life and in relationships.

Of Ashkenazi Jewish and Danish descent, Noel’s cultural influences were significant in shaping her art. She loved her creativity dearly, pursuing the fine arts as a subject and then developing a career that ranged from painting and carpentry to competing horseback riders. Although she is frequently known due to her romance with John Amos, Noel’s achievements as an individual were great in themselves.

Early Life

Noel Jean Mickelson was raised in Minnesota’s rural towns where family, nature, and art were the mainstay. Her independent spirit was nurtured within her from a young age by her parents, Wilbur B. Mickelson and Dorothy J. Tims. Noel became very attached to animals and nature while growing up on a farm, which in turn was the inspiration for her career as an equestrian.

Education was always a priority in the Mickelson family, and Noel’s love for learning led her to attend Colorado State University. While at the university, she pursued fine arts and continued to develop as an artist and thinker. It was during college that Noel’s life was also changed forever as she encountered John Amos — a meeting that would define a significant portion of her personal history.

Career Beginning

Noel took on a lifestyle at graduation that was most people’s idea of unusual but inspiring. She pursued her passion for the arts, creating paintings that were typically an outpouring of her great respect for human emotion, nature, and culture. She never shied away from exploring avant-garde genres like surrealism and abstraction, pushing the boundaries of traditional art.

Apart from painting, Noel was a skilled carpenter — an unusual profession for females at the time. She created furniture, works of art, and even working everyday items. Although her hobby for horses led her to competitive horse shows, where she was competing in advanced levels and won prizes for skills. Noel’s career decision showed that one could be successful through following one’s passion despite society having something different in store for you.

Who Was Noel J. Mickelson’s Ex-Husband?

While at Colorado State University, Noel met John Amos, who later became a renowned actor appearing in Good Times and Roots. Theirs was a passionate and incendiary romance because interracial marriage was still illegal in most U.S. states when they were together. In 1965, they did get married, a couple of years before the landmark Loving v. Virginia case made such marriages legal throughout America.

Their union was also faced with outside pressures, but the two of them formed a family and produced two children: Shannon Amos, now a successful producer and writer, and K.C. Amos, a director and actor. Although Noel and John did divorce in 1975, they did share a bond through their children. Theirs is still a wonderful example of love’s ability to overcome societal barriers.

Noel J. Mickelson’s Physical Appearance

Noel Mickelson was typically described as being beautiful naturally, with luscious brown hair and bright, expressive eyes. She moved with quiet confidence and grace, which made her stand out in any room. She was not a flashy beauty — instead, she borrowed her looks from her naturalness and inner strength.

Her style was a reflection of her artistic personality. Noel usually wore clothes that were a mix of old-fashioned elegance and bohemian, free spirit fashion. Earthy tones, handmade jewelry, and flowing garments were a big part of her wardrobe. She never followed the trends — she made her own. Her fashion was just another means by which she informed the world of her singularity.

Net Worth

Although firm figures are difficult to determine, estimates have put Noel Mickelson’s net worth at anywhere between $300,000 and $500,000. She made money from several sources: as an artist, as a carpenter, as a horsewoman, and from financial security due to marriage during John Amos’s on-rising career.

Even after divorcing Amos, Noel too had a prosperous and secure life. She stayed active working on her own, further demonstrating that she was economically independent and shrewd — all qualities that she passed on to her children as well as impressed those surrounding her.

Legacy

Noel J. Mickelson’s legacy isn’t merely the fact that she had an affair with a celebrity actor. It’s how she lived her life: boldly, creatively, without regrets. When she was divorced, Noel faced serious illness — becoming blind and quadriplegic through complications in surgery. Despite it all, however, she emerged unbroken, a source of inspiration to children and friends.

She passed away in 2016, but her memory remains through her children and the memories they have. Shannon and K.C. Amos often remind one of their mother’s strength, creativity, and fierce devotion. Noel’s legacy is one of keeping in mind that legacy is not of fame or of riches, but of living life with integrity, passion, and strength.