‘Sister Wives’: The Cast Remembers All of Their Family Members Who’ve Died
Sister Wives has been a TLC staple since it premiered in 2010. For years, fans have watched Kody Brown’s large family of four wives and their 18 children experience life, including the challenges of polygamy.
However, as divided as the Browns have become, they’ve come together to help each other deal with several family members’ deaths. Here are all the family members of the Sister Wives cast who have died.
Meri’s mom, Bonnie, died in 2021
Meri’s mother, Bonnie Barber, died on March 26, 2021, after falling ill at 76. In an episode that aired on September 25, viewers saw Kody’s first wife, Meri, rush from Arizona to Utah after learning of her mother’s heart attack. However, Bonnie died before Meri could reach her. Recalling the experience, Meri said, “It was about an hour after I was on my way that I got the call. It just happened so fast.”
Meri called her mother’s death “unexpected and so quick,” saying she appeared healthy. Bonnie’s death left a huge gap in Meri’s life. The two were close and even ran a bed-and-breakfast together. “I don’t know what the rest of my life is going to look like,” the reality TV star said. She added, “There’s just a lot that I don’t know that I’m going to have to figure out.”
Janelle Brown lost her mother a year before
In the January 16, 2021, episode, Janelle Brown, Kody’s second wife, revealed that her mother had died. “So my mom passed away last night. We’re back at her house in Wyoming, and it’s just weird that she’s not coming back through the doors ever,” the star said. Although Sheryl Usher, Janelle’s mom, had been ill for a long time, the reality TV star said the loss shocked her. She explained that she wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
The 54-year-old said her mother had battled cancer for a while, and there was “no good way to operate.” Janelle also stated that she had tried to get her mother to move to Flagstaff, where the Browns reside so that she could be closer to her family. However, Sheryl was too sick to travel.
A week before Christmas, the star said she noticed her mother’s health was declining, so she rushed to be near her. Janelle said she was grateful to have spent the last few moments of her mother’s life by her side.
Kody Brown lost his brother in a tragic accident
The Brown family’s patriarch also dealt with tremendous loss. In 2013, the star revealed he’d lost his brother in a tragic motorcycle accident. His brother, Curtis, had appeared in one Sister Wives episode, “Brown Boys Do Vegas,” during Season 3 alongside their two other brothers, Michael and Scott.
The Brown brothers bonded over drinks and motorcycle riding and spent time at a shooting range. Curtis was 34 at the time of his death and shared three children with his wife, Erica Brush Brown.
Robyn Brown lost her brother in 2017
Robyn’s brother, Paul Jr., died by suicide on April 4, 2017. According to a police report, his girlfriend discovered him unresponsive in his apartment and called the authorities. The statement read in part, as The U.S. Sun reports, “As I looked around the room, I saw a handgun that was on the floor. There was a notebook on the mini-fridge in front of the couch with what appeared to be a suicide note.” Paul and Robyn were step-siblings.
