Maureen Starkey Tigrett - Later Life and Death

Later Life and Death

She attended the funeral of drummer Keith Moon on 13 September 1978, at the Golders Green Crematorium, along with 120 guests, including Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts. While Lennon's ex-wife, Cynthia Lennon, was staying at Maureen's home in London, she received a phone call from Starr, two hours after Lennon had been shot in New York. She and Starr became grandparents when Tatia Jayne Starkey was born on 7 September 1985, to their eldest son and wife, Sarah Starkey (née Menikides), in England.

After starting to live with Tigrett in 1976—who is best known as one of the founders of the Hard Rock Cafe and the House of Blues—they were married in Monaco, on 27 May 1989. Tigrett, known for collecting memorabilia, once said that Maureen was his "ultimate collectible". During her relationship and marriage to Tigrett she often used the phrase, "Just give me furs, jewels and property, thank you". They had one daughter together, Augusta King Tigrett, who was born on 4 January 1987, in Dallas, Texas. She is the only ex-Beatles wife to give birth to a child with someone else.

She died at home on 30 December 1994, due to complications from leukemia, after receiving treatment at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. She had received bone marrow from her son, Zak, who then donated blood platelets and white blood cells. Maureen's four children, her 82-year-old mother, husband Tigrett and ex-husband Starr were all at her bedside when she died. Following her death, McCartney wrote the song "Little Willow" in her memory. The song appears on his 1997 album, Flaming Pie, with a dedication to her children.