Janet Condra may not be a household name like her former husband, NBA legend Larry Bird, but her story is an important part of his early life and also a reflection of her own quiet strength. She was Bird’s high school sweetheart, his first wife, and the mother of his only biological daughter, Corrie Bird. Though their marriage was very short and ended in divorce after less than a year, Janet’s life journey did not stop there. She went on to raise her daughter mostly on her own, build a career, and later remarry, all while staying far away from the spotlight that often follows people connected to celebrities. Her story is not one of fame or fortune but of resilience, independence, and dignity, showing that even in the shadow of a sports legend, she chose to live a private and meaningful life.
Profile Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Janet Condra |
| Birth Year | 1950s (exact year not publicly known) |
| Age (as of 2025) | Early to mid-70s |
| Birthplace | French Lick, Indiana, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Education | Springs Valley High School |
| Marital Status | Divorced / Remarried |
| First Husband | Larry Bird (m. 1975 – div. 1976) |
| Second Husband | Mike Deakins |
| Children | Corrie Bird (with Larry Bird), Mandy Deakins (with Mike Deakins) |
| Career | Mail Carrier (Indiana) |
| Current Residence | Indiana, USA |
| Known For | Being the first wife of Larry Bird |
| Estimated Net Worth | Around $500,000 |
Early Life and Background
Janet Condra was born in the 1950s in French Lick, Indiana, a small town that shaped much of who she became. French Lick was the kind of place where everyone knew each other, and life moved at a slower, more community-oriented pace. Families were close-knit, and neighbors often played important roles in raising children. Growing up in this environment, Janet developed a personality rooted in kindness, simplicity, and resilience.
She attended Springs Valley High School, where she was known as a friendly and approachable young woman who got along well with classmates and took part in community activities. Her life in French Lick was modest, but it was also rich in small-town values, and it was during these years that she crossed paths with Larry Bird, who was also attending the same school and slowly building his reputation as a talented basketball player.
High School Sweethearts
Janet Condra and Larry Bird became high school sweethearts while attending Springs Valley High School in French Lick, Indiana, where their friendship grew into a romance built on small-town values, school events, and community gatherings, with Janet supporting Larry as he focused on basketball and both dreaming of a simple future together.
Age and Physical Appearance
Janet Condra was born in the 1950s, which makes her likely in her early to mid-70s as of 2025. In her younger years, she was known to have blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Over the years, she has chosen to live privately, so there are not many recent details about her appearance.
Meeting and Marriage with Larry Bird
In 1975, Janet Condra and Larry Bird got married. They were both still very young, with Larry around 18 or 19 years old at the time. Their wedding was not a large, flashy event but rather a modest celebration that reflected their backgrounds and the close-knit nature of their community. Like many young couples, they believed that love alone would be enough to sustain their marriage, but life soon proved more complicated.
Larry was focused on basketball, preparing for a career that would demand his full energy, while Janet was adjusting to the new responsibilities of being a wife at a very young age. The combination of their inexperience, youth, and Larry’s growing ambitions made it difficult for the couple to maintain their relationship. Within a year, in 1976, their marriage ended in divorce, leaving both to face very different futures.
Who Is Larry Bird?
Larry Bird is one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, known for his incredible skill, sharp shooting, and competitive spirit. He was born on December 7, 1956, in West Baden Springs, Indiana, and grew up in the nearby town of French Lick, which earned him the nickname “The Hick from French Lick.” Bird played college basketball at Indiana State University, where he led the team to the 1979 NCAA championship game against Magic Johnson’s Michigan State, a rivalry that carried into the NBA. He went on to spend his entire professional career with the Boston Celtics from 1979 to 1992, winning three NBA championships, three MVP awards, and making 12 All-Star appearances.
Beyond his playing career, Bird also found success as a coach and executive, serving with the Indiana Pacers. He is remembered not only for his talent but also for his work ethic and leadership, becoming a legend in the world of basketball and an enduring symbol of determination and success.
The Birth of Corrie Bird
Even though Janet and Larry’s marriage ended quickly, their connection did not completely disappear because Janet discovered that she was pregnant not long after the divorce. In August 1977, she gave birth to their daughter, Corrie Bird. This moment was both joyful and challenging, as Janet was now faced with raising a child largely on her own. At first, Larry denied that he was Corrie’s father, but a paternity test confirmed that he was indeed her biological father.
Despite this, Larry remained distant, focusing on his basketball career, which was beginning to take off, and leaving Janet to handle most of the parenting responsibilities. For Janet, raising Corrie meant stepping into the role of both mother and father, providing emotional support, discipline, and love, all while dealing with the reality of being a single parent in a small town where everyone knew her story.
Life as a Single Mother
After her short marriage to Larry Bird ended, Janet Condra faced the difficult task of raising their daughter Corrie on her own, stepping into the role of both parents while living in their hometown of Indiana. With Larry busy building his NBA career and often absent from family life, Janet carried the full responsibility of providing love, guidance, and stability to her child. She worked hard to make sure Corrie grew up with strong values, teaching her independence and resilience despite the challenges of being raised without a close bond with her father. Life as a single mother was far from easy, but Janet managed it with quiet strength, choosing to focus on her daughter’s well-being rather than the fame and fortune that surrounded her former husband.
Career and Independence
To support herself and her daughter, Janet worked as a mail carrier in Indiana. This job gave her financial stability and allowed her to live independently without relying on the fame or fortune of her ex-husband. Being a mail carrier also kept her connected to the community, where she was known for her hard work and modest lifestyle. While Larry Bird’s name was making headlines in the NBA, Janet lived quietly, avoiding media attention and choosing to focus on her own life.
Unlike many people who might have taken advantage of being associated with a celebrity, she never sought the spotlight or tried to profit from her connection to Larry Bird. Instead, she built her life through steady work, dedication, and resilience, showing that her identity was not defined only by her past marriage.
Later Marriage and Family Life
Years after her divorce from Larry Bird, Janet Condra remarried. She found love again with a man named Mike Deakins, and together they built a family away from the public eye. With Mike, Janet had another daughter named Mandy, and she dedicated herself to building a peaceful and stable home life. Unlike her first marriage, Janet kept her second marriage completely private, avoiding any attention from the media. Her choice to live quietly shows her strong desire to protect her family and maintain a life rooted in privacy. Through this marriage, Janet was able to create a sense of normalcy and happiness, which balanced out the difficulties she had faced in her earlier years.
Relationship Between Larry Bird and Corrie Bird
The bond between Larry Bird and his daughter Corrie Bird has always been known as strained, since Larry was focused on his rising basketball career during her childhood and was not very involved in her daily life, and although he supported her financially, it was Janet Condra who raised Corrie with constant love and guidance, making her the main source of stability while Corrie longed for a closer connection with her father.
Current Life and Privacy
Today, Janet Condra lives a very private life, most likely still in Indiana, where she has remained connected to her community for decades. Now in her early to mid-70s, she is believed to be enjoying a peaceful life away from the public eye. She has no social media presence, avoids interviews, and has chosen to stay completely out of the spotlight. Her net worth is estimated to be around $500,000, a figure that reflects her years of steady work and modest living.
This is a sharp contrast to Larry Bird’s wealth, which is estimated at about $75 million, but Janet’s life shows that material wealth was never her priority. Instead, she focused on raising her children, building a stable family, and maintaining her privacy.
Legacy and Importance of Her Story
Janet Condra’s story holds importance because it reflects resilience, privacy, and the quiet strength of a woman who lived in the shadow of fame but never let it define her. Instead of using her brief marriage to Larry Bird as a way to gain attention, she focused on raising her daughter Corrie with dedication and care, building a stable life while staying out of the spotlight. Her legacy lies in showing that true strength is not always loud or public, but often found in the everyday choices of living with dignity, independence, and love for family.
Janet Condra Net Worth
Janet Condra has an estimated net worth of around $500,000, which mainly comes from her years of steady work as a mail carrier in Indiana and her simple, modest lifestyle. Unlike her former husband, Larry Bird, whose net worth is estimated at about $75 million from his successful NBA career and later roles as a coach and executive, Janet never sought wealth or fame from her past connection to him. Instead, she chose to live independently, focusing on providing for her family and building a private life away from the spotlight.
Conclusion
Janet Condra’s life shows the quiet strength of a woman who lived through the challenges of a short marriage to a future NBA legend, raised her daughter Corrie Bird with love and determination, and chose to remain private rather than step into the spotlight of fame. Her journey highlights the sacrifices and resilience of single motherhood, the value of independence, and the dignity of living a simple life away from public attention. While Larry Bird’s name will always be remembered in the history of basketball, Janet’s story is just as important because it reminds us that behind every famous figure are people whose courage, choices, and devotion to family shape the legacy in ways that often go unseen.
FAQs About Janet Condra
1. Who is Janet Condra?
Janet Condra is best known as the first wife of NBA legend Larry Bird and the mother of their daughter, Corrie Bird.
2. When did Janet Condra marry Larry Bird?
She married Larry Bird in 1975, but their marriage lasted less than a year, ending in divorce in 1976.
3. Did Janet Condra and Larry Bird have children?
Yes, they had one daughter together named Corrie Bird, who was born in August 1977.
4. What did Janet Condra do after her divorce from Larry Bird?
After her divorce, Janet worked as a mail carrier in Indiana and raised her daughter Corrie mostly on her own.
5. Did Janet Condra remarry?
Yes, Janet later married Mike Deakins, and together they had a daughter named Mandy, choosing to live a private family life.
6. What is Janet Condra’s net worth?
Her estimated net worth is around $500,000, earned mainly from her career and modest lifestyle, very different from Larry Bird’s fortune.
