By Janet Franklin 
Even though Janet Condra isn’t as well known as her ex-husband, NBA star Larry Bird, her story is an important part of his early life and shows how strong she was in a quiet way. Bird met her in high school and married her first. They had one daughter together, Corrie Bird. Even though they were only married for a short time and got a divorce after less than a year, Janet left that point in her life. She then mostly raised her daughter by herself, got a job, and later got married again, all while staying out of the public eye that usually follows people who are related to celebrities. She decided to live a private and meaningful life even though she was famous and made a lot of money. Her story is not one of fame or wealth, but of strength, independence, and respect.
Beginnings and Background
The 1950s saw Janet Condra born in French Lick, Indiana, a small town that had a big impact on her life. In French Lick, everyone knew each other, and life moved more slowly and with a focus on the community. People were close to each other, and neighbours often helped raise kids in important ways. Janet formed a personality based on kindness, simplicity, and strength as she grew up in this setting.
She went to Springs Valley High School and was known as a nice, approachable girl who got along with her friends and did things for the community. It was a simple life in French Lick, but it was full of small-town ideals. It was there that she met Larry Bird, who was going to the same school as her and slowly becoming known as a great basketball player.
Lovebirds in high school
Larry Bird and Janet Condra met at Springs Valley High School in French Lick, Indiana, and quickly became sweethearts. They became friends and then fell in love through small-town values, school events, and community gatherings. Janet supported Larry while he focused on basketball, and they both dreamed of a simple future together.
Age and how someone looks
Being born in the 1950s, Janet Condra will probably be in her early to mid-1970s in 2025. A long time ago, she was said to have had blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Because she has chosen to live a private life over the years, not many current details about how she looks are known.
Running into and getting married to Larry Bird
Women named Janet Condra and Larry Bird got married in 1975. Larry would have been about 18 or 19 years old at the time. Their wedding was not a big, flashy event. Instead, it was a small party that showed how close-knit their community is and how they met. Like many young couples, they thought that love would be enough to keep their marriage going, but things quickly got harder.
Janet was getting used to being a wife at a very young age, while Larry was focused on basketball, getting ready for a job that would require all of his energy. They had trouble keeping the relationship going because they were young, inexperienced, and Larry’s goals were rising. In just one year, in 1976, they got a divorce, which meant that they would have very different lives.
Do you know Larry Bird?
Larry Bird was one of the best basketball players in NBA history. He was very skilled, could shoot the ball very well, and loved competing. His birthplace was West Baden Springs, Indiana, on December 7, 1956. He grew up in the nearby town of French Lick, which is how he got the name “The Hick from French Lick.” As a college basketball player, Bird led Indiana State to the 1979 NCAA championship game against Magic Johnson’s Michigan State. This competition continued into the NBA. From 1979 to 1992, he played his whole professional career with the Boston Celtics. They won three NBA titles, three MVP awards, and 12 All-Star games.
Bird was successful not only as a player, but also as a coach and leader with the Indiana Pacers. Not only is he known for his skill, but also for how hard he worked and how he led others. He became a basketball legend and a lasting symbol of hard work and success.
Corrie Bird’s Birth
Even though Janet and Larry’s marriage ended quickly, they were still connected because Janet found out she was pregnant soon after the split. She had their daughter, Corrie Bird, in August 1977. At this point, Janet had to raise a child mostly by herself, which was both happy and hard. Larry at first denied being Corrie’s father, but a genetic test proved that he was her real father.
Larry stayed away, though, because he was focused on his basketball career, which was starting to take off. This left Janet to handle most of the parenting duties. Janet had to be both a mother and a father to raise Corrie. She had to give her love, support, and punishment while dealing with being a single parent in a small town where everyone knew her story.
How is it to be a single mum
Janet Condra had to raise their daughter Corrie by herself after her short marriage to Larry Bird ended. She had to be both parents while living in their hometown of Indiana. Larry was busy building his NBA career and wasn’t always around for his family, so Janet had to love, guide, and support her child on her own. Even though it was hard for her because she didn’t have a close relationship with her father, she worked hard to make sure Corrie had strong values. She taught her to be independent and strong. Although Janet’s life as a single mother wasn’t easy, she did it with quiet strength by focussing on her daughter’s health instead of her ex-husband’s fame and money.
Working and Being Free
Jenny worked as a mail worker in Indiana to support herself and her daughter. This job helped her stay financially stable and let her live on her own without depending on her ex-husband’s fame or money. She was known in the community for her hard work and simple way of life, and her job as a mail worker kept her in touch with people. In the NBA, Larry Bird was all the talk, but Janet lived a quiet life, ignoring the media and focussing on her own life.
Unlike some people who might have tried to make money off of being linked to a famous person, she never sought the attention or tried to make money off of her relationship with Larry Bird. She built her life instead through hard work, dedication, and strength, showing that her past marriage was not the only thing that made her who she was.
Getting married and having kids later on
After getting divorced from Larry Bird, Janet Condra married someone else. Later, she fell in love with Mike Deakins again, and the two of them started a family without anyone knowing about it. Janet had a girl named Mandy with Mike, and she worked hard to make their home life peaceful and stable. Unlike her first marriage, Janet didn’t let anyone in on her second marriage. She wanted to escape any attention from the media. Her choice to live in silence shows how much she wants to keep her family safe and keep her private life. Janet was able to find calm and happiness in her marriage, which made up for the problems she had had in her younger years.
How Larry Bird and Corrie Bird are related
Corrie Bird and her father, Larry Bird, have always had a tense relationship. When Corrie was young, Larry was focused on his basketball career and wasn’t very involved in her daily life. Even though he helped her financially, it was Janet Condra who raised Corrie with love and support, becoming her main source of stability while Corrie longed for a closer relationship with her father.
Life Now and Privacy
There isn’t much information about Janet Condra’s life now. She probably still lives in Indiana, where she has been tied to her community for decades. She is now in her early to mid-70s and is thought to be living a quiet life away from the spotlight. She isn’t on any social media sites, she doesn’t do interviews, and she has decided to stay out of the public eye. It is thought that she is worth about $500,000. This amount shows how much she has earned over the years by working hard and living simply.
Larry Bird is said to be worth about $75 million, so this is a big difference. But Janet’s life shows that money was never her main goal. She instead worked on keeping her privacy, raising her kids, and making sure her family was steady.
What Her Story Means and Why It’s Important
The story of Janet Condra is important because it shows how strong, private, and resilient a woman could be who lived in the shadow of fame but never let it define her. She didn’t use her short marriage to Larry Bird as a way to get attention. Instead, she worked on getting her daughter Corrie ready for life by raising her with love and care. Her legacy is that she showed real power isn’t always loud or in the spotlight, but in the small things like choosing to live with honour, independence, and love for family every day.
Value of Janet Condra’s money
Janet Condra is thought to have a net worth of about $500,000. This is mostly due to her simple, modest living and her years of steady work as a mail carrier in Indiana. In contrast to her ex-husband Larry Bird, whose net worth is thought to be around $75 million from his time in the NBA and later as a teacher and executive, Janet never used her relationship with him to get rich or famous. She decided instead to live on her own, taking care of her family and building a private life away from the spotlight.
In the end
Janet Condra was a quiet but strong woman who got through a difficult marriage to a future NBA star, raised her daughter Corrie Bird with love and drive, and chose to stay out of the public eye rather than become famous. Her journey shows the struggles and strength of being a single mother, the worth of being independent, and the honour of living a simple life away from the spotlight. Larry Bird will always be known in basketball history, but Janet’s story is just as important because it shows that behind every famous person are brave people whose choices and love for their family shape the legacy in ways that aren’t always clear.
Common Questions About Janet Condra
Who is Janet Condra?
Most people know Janet Condra as the mother of Larry Bird’s daughter Corrie Bird and his first wife, Janet Condra.
What year did Janet Condra get married to Larry Bird?
She got married to Larry Bird in 1975, but they were only married for a year before getting a divorce in 1976.
Have Janet Condra and Larry Bird had kids?
Of course, they did have a daughter together. Her name was Corrie Bird and she was born in August 1977.
What did Janet Condra do after she and Larry Bird split up?
She raised her daughter Corrie mostly by herself after getting divorced and working as a mail worker in Indiana.
Has Janet Condra married again?
Janet did get married again, to Mike Deakins. They chose to have a private family life and had a daughter called Mandy.
What is Janet Condra’s total wealth?
Her net worth is thought to be around $500,000. She makes most of her money from her job and living a simple life.