You might know Buzz Aldrin as the astronaut who became one of the first humans to walk on the moon, but did you know he's also a family man? Buzz, whose real name is Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr., is the proud father of three children from his first marriage to Joan Archer Aldrin. His kids, James Michael Aldrin, Janice Ross Aldrin, and Andrew John Aldrin, have shared some pretty cool stories over the years about growing up in the spotlight while their dad was part of the legendary Apollo 11 mission. Stick around to learn more about Buzz's amazing family.
Meet Buzz Aldrin’s Kids from His Marriage to Joan Archer Aldrin
Before Buzz became an astronaut, he served as a jet fighter pilot in the Korean War. But his dreams were always set on the stars. In 1963, he joined NASA, and just a few years later, he was assigned to the historic Apollo 11 mission. Buzz and Joan tied the knot in 1954, and during that iconic moonwalk on July 20, 1969, Joan was cheering him on from home. Their three children vividly remember watching the event unfold on TV.
"I didn't fully grasp that this was happening on the moon," Janice told CNN in July 2021. "I was more disappointed that the broadcast wasn’t in color. Can you imagine? Here’s my dad walking on the moon, and all I could think about was how it would’ve looked better in color!"
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Andrew, Buzz’s youngest son, had a different take. "I had total trust in NASA and the Apollo program," he recalled. "I wasn’t scared because it felt normal to me. It was just another mission we were going to do because that’s what Dad said we’d do." The siblings also reminisced about their dad teaching them science lessons as kids. With his MIT background, Buzz loved explaining physics concepts during family outings and even at the dinner table.
"I never asked my dad for help with my homework because I knew I wouldn’t understand what he was saying," Janice joked. "My eyes would glaze over every time he started explaining something." Sounds like Buzz had a knack for making science sound a little too advanced for the average kid!
Does Buzz Aldrin Have Grandkids?
After his historic space adventure, Buzz and Joan's marriage ended in divorce in 1974. Joan passed away at the age of 84 in 2015 due to natural causes. But before she left us, Joan and Buzz became grandparents when Janice’s son, Jeffrey Michael Schuss, came into the world.
Jeffrey and his wife, April Schuss, went on to have three sons: Nathaniel, Benjamin, and Archer, making Buzz a great-grandfather. In November 2020, Buzz proudly announced another addition to the family. "The latest addition to our family, great-granddaughter with great curiosity! Kaia Nicole, born September 22," he wrote on Facebook, sharing a sweet photo of the newborn.
Buzz was married twice more after his first marriage. He tied the knot with Beverly Van Zile from 1975 to 1978 and then with Lois Driggs Cannon from 1988 to 2013. Lois brought her own children from a previous marriage—Lisa Cannon, Brynn Cannon, and Bryant Cannon—into Buzz’s life, but he didn’t have any biological children during these marriages.
