I had a thought on this, considering their ages & his health, they could be divorcing for financial reasons. I’ve known of people splitting and/or selling/gifting assets’ in order to qualify as indigent. They were usually poorer and fewer assets, but it does happen

autdrew on January 22, 2014 at 8:15 pm

Time takes no prisoners. Very sad.

Frankz on January 22, 2014 at 8:42 pm

It is out of character that she would leave especially since she has dealt w the Captain’s eye disease, the reason for wearing shades.

She has good character. Leaving him now is not believable. Sorry.

Darrell L. Hicks on January 22, 2014 at 9:55 pm

Ouch! ‘dat hoit’ Frankz.

But the truth you speak.

#1 VATO on January 23, 2014 at 12:40 am

I think it’s financial. When I was looking for a lawyer to file my SSDI claim, one told me to divorce my husband so I’d get more. He said you can do anything you want privately but make it a legal condition. This was about 10 years ago and I found that unacceptable. It is fraud if we continued to live together. So, I didn’t file and a couple of years later in a different city, I found a Jewish lawyer who took my case to a Jewish Social Security judge and won my cast. FTR, it is virtually impossible to get SSDI the first time around on one’s own. It requires an attorney and I was happy to pay the 30% fee on contingency because there were many years of back pay owed me.

Meira on January 23, 2014 at 12:41 am

Given the huge increases in premiums, etc… under Obamacare, and face it, these two aren’t raking it in any more, especially will have hard time with such an expensive illness. I can’t assume she’s dumping him like this out of the blue, let’s give it some time to see. I’ll bet this is a move to try to get more affordable insurance rates for him.

Mary on January 23, 2014 at 2:52 am

I suspect that it is financial. At their ages, why bother divorcing? Tennille could also have reached the end of her rope, if Captain had sunk into dementia or some similar disorder.

Worry01 on January 23, 2014 at 5:07 am

It is a shame that, with this news, there’s been a lot of bad puns based on the titles of various songs for which they were famous. A few quotes (I will leave out some of the more tasteless; punctuation and capitalization printed verbatim):
– “Toni Tennille must have some Muskrat Love going on the side…”
– “Muskrat Suzie has had enough of muskrat Sam.”
– “Well, The Captain may have Never Done It Like That, but Toni definitely doesn’t want him to Do That To Her One More Time!!!!”

ConcernedPatriot on January 23, 2014 at 8:12 am

I hope it is only financial and not a real divorce, as in “I no longer love you.” Illness is not the worst thing a married couple have to work through. For a 70 year old to leave at this point in their marriage does not say much for her, unless she had endured many hard years from him and decided she would not help someone who had mistreated her in some way.Still, it is sad. I’ve been married 42 years and could not even imagine divorcing my husband at this point for any reason.

Janis on January 23, 2014 at 8:26 am

I have always liked the two of them, and am sorry that they are getting a divorce. “Love Will Keep Us Together” was a great song, and it brings back happy memories!

Jean on January 23, 2014 at 9:14 am

Sorry, but Daryl Dragon is not Jewish unless his mother, Eloise, is. His father was Carmen Dragon, a well known conductor who started with Meredith Wilson and made many appearances at the Hollywood Bowl. He also has an extensive discography of movie sound tracks. How many Jewish men are named “Carmen.” I can claim him either way but them’s the facts: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0236740/bio

M: Several websites on Jewish musicians claimed he was Jewish. It may not be accurate, though, as you point out. However, look up the name “Carmen Warschaw.” She’s not a man, but she was a Jew. You can’t always go by the name. DS

Meira on January 23, 2014 at 10:33 am

It could also be by pre-arrangement that his disease would be come so bad that he no longer knew his wife in any form and in love told her to cut loose when that happened because he really was no longer there.

Jonathan Gartner on January 23, 2014 at 11:52 am

Who knows, this may be to protect their assets from creditors due to enormous medical bills or for insurance reasons. She probably is by his side but finds it necessary legally to do this.

cj on January 23, 2014 at 1:12 pm

I do not believe Toni is REALLY leaving her husband. I believe that it is very likely to protect assets because she most likely will survive him by many years, and if Obozo has his way, if they stay married he will eat up their assets to keep Captain alive. Since she continues to perform, she has some income, and likely has everything in her name. As indigent, Captain will get free/low cost medical care. It is a pity that she has to do this. In any case, I know in my heart that there is STILL love there, as she is STILL by his side. God bless them both, and may things work out for them.

trish on January 23, 2014 at 2:29 pm

“Love Will Keep Us Together” was a great song. “Muskrat Love”, however, had to be one of the WORST songs ever!

Jeff on January 23, 2014 at 2:35 pm

It seems to have caught the Captain by surprise, judging from his comments.

JeffT on January 23, 2014 at 7:45 pm

I live in Arizona, work in the legal field, and checked with an attorney who works in estate planning and such like. She said that it was unlikely that such a move would benefit her husband, as it’s a community property state and he would get half of their estate, or $5 million of their estimated $10 million. It would take a good while to burn through that much money even at a high level of care. Plus he has Medicare.

The attorney thought that this was a move to protect Toni’s half, as that’s the only scenario that made sense.

Some blog sites in early 2013 indicated that there were significant relationship issues a year ago, the big house was up for sale, (it was sold), and Toni had taken up with someone else, and had moved out. It appeared that the stories came from people with firsthand knowledge in Prescott.

The other person, who was a good friend of the couple, or should I say was, was named and shown in photos, too. The person appeared to be about 15 yrs younger.

Iron Viking on January 24, 2014 at 4:19 am

I’m sure over time we will find out why .

William on January 24, 2014 at 5:08 pm

Christ, what are you, 67 years of age? Pining for the good ol’ days?

Howard Felt DDS on January 24, 2014 at 10:42 pm

In another article I read about them. The reason she gave for filing for divorce is that he would continue to distance himself from her shtting her out of his life. Leaving her to feel alone and lonely even though they were in the same house. He had conspricy thories about the government which drove her crazy. many hears of emotional abuse, until she felt she had had enough and filed for divorce. She in the article says that she is finally happy again. It never works if there is only one person participating in a marriage.

Carol on March 17, 2016 at 11:02 am

Yes, its truly sad that a 40 year union of two people so symbolic of an era is disipated.Who is to say what transpired within the confines of their home over such a long period.Regardless of the split they willalways be the captain and Tenille.As for Daryls question of newishness, I think its more than likely nuding from the mothers maiden name Rawitzer, that He is newish, this is an Ashkenazi german name, also the fact that his Dads name was Carmen does not present a case for “jew or not? Eric Carmen “though it is his last name he is hewish! Im sure there are several sephardics named Carmen.

Greg Schaller on March 27, 2016 at 7:50 pm