June Baranco is best known as the first wife of TV journalist Bryant Gumbel, longtime anchor of NBC’s Today and host of HBO’s Real Sports. A Baton Rouge native and LSU fine arts graduate, she married Bryant in 1973. They raised two children before divorcing in 2001. She later turned her artistic talent into a custom hat business called Geaux Chapeaux.
For 15 years, Bryant Gumbel woke up America on NBC’s Today. He was one of the most recognizable faces in morning TV. Behind that success was a 28-year marriage to June Baranco.
When the marriage ended, June didn’t fade away. She built a creative second chapter of her own. This article covers her Louisiana roots, her marriage, her children, her divorce, and her life as an artist and milliner.
Quick Facts: June Baranco
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | June Baranco (also June Baranco Gumbel) |
| Known as | Bryant Gumbel’s first wife |
| Hometown | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Education | Bachelor’s in fine art, LSU, 1971 |
| Married | December 1, 1973 (per SoapCentral) |
| Divorced | 2001 |
| Children | Bradley (born 1978), Jillian (born 1984) |
| Profession | Artist and milliner (hat designer) |
| Business | Geaux Chapeaux |
| Birth date | Not publicly confirmed |
| Net worth | Not publicly confirmed |
Who Is June Baranco?
June Baranco is an artist and hat designer from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Bryant Gumbel’s Wikipedia page confirms they married in 1973 and divorced in 2001.
Her own business website, Geaux Chapeaux, describes her as a Baton Rouge native and an LSU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in fine art from 1971.
She’s known to TV fans through her marriage, but to Louisiana’s hat lovers, she’s an artist in her own right.
June’s Louisiana Roots
Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s capital and home to Louisiana State University. June grew up there and studied at LSU, earning her fine arts degree in 1971.
Bryant also has Louisiana roots. He was born on September 29, 1948, in New Orleans, about 80 miles away, according to Wikipedia.
That shared Louisiana background may have been part of what connected them.
How June Met Bryant
SoapCentral reports that June and Bryant met through a mutual friend in Chicago. That friend was dating Bryant’s older brother, Greg Gumbel, at the time.
Greg would later become a famous sportscaster too, best known for his work at CBS Sports.
It’s a fitting start for a family that would become known for sports broadcasting.
A 1973 Wedding
June and Bryant married on December 1, 1973, according to SoapCentral. Wikipedia confirms the year.
At the time, Bryant had graduated from Bates College in Maine in 1970 with a degree in Russian history. He was early in his career, working in sports.
In 1975, he joined NBC Sports as co-host of the NFL pregame show GrandStand.
The Today Show Years
On January 4, 1982, Bryant became principal anchor of NBC’s Today. He held the job until January 3, 1997, according to Wikipedia.
That 15-year run made him a household name. It also meant early mornings, constant travel, and life in the public eye for the family.
June raised their children during this busy period.
June’s Children
June and Bryant had two children. Their son, Bradley Christopher Gumbel, was born in 1978, and their daughter, Jillian Beth Gumbel, was born in 1984, SoapCentral reports.
Jillian’s wedding later played an unexpected role in June’s career. When Jillian married in 2011, June couldn’t find affordable headpieces, so she started making her own, according to Geaux Chapeaux.
That small decision became a business.
Bryant Gumbel at HBO
In 1995, while still at Today, Bryant began hosting HBO’s sports journalism show Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. The show ran until 2023, according to Wikipedia.
Real Sports won wide praise for its in-depth reporting on athletes and sports issues.
It became one of the longest-running shows in HBO’s history.
The 2001 Divorce
After 28 years of marriage, June and Bryant divorced in 2001, according to Wikipedia. SoapCentral reports that the split was at times bitter and drew media coverage.
Reports said the settlement gave June about half of Bryant’s fortune, though the exact terms weren’t officially released.
June’s attorney, Barry Slotnick, told the Associated Press that she was satisfied the chapter was over and that she could move on, SoapCentral reported.
Bryant Gumbel’s Second Marriage
In 2002, a year after the divorce, Bryant married his longtime girlfriend, Hilary Quinlan, according to Wikipedia.
They have no children together, SoapCentral reports. Bryant’s only children are Bradley and Jillian, his kids with June.
June’s role as their mother remains central to the Gumbel family story.
A New Chapter: Geaux Chapeaux
June’s creativity took her in a new direction. After making headpieces for Jillian’s wedding, she began studying vintage hats and collecting millinery supplies, according to Geaux Chapeaux.
She eventually turned it into a full-time business. The name Geaux Chapeaux plays on “geaux,” the Louisiana spelling of “go” made famous by LSU fans, and “chapeaux,” French for hats.
She also still paints, her business site notes.
Back to Baton Rouge
In February 2014, June returned to Baton Rouge to show her hats at “Tea, Fashion & Fancies” at the LSU Rural Life Museum, according to Geaux Chapeaux.
The event was co-sponsored by the Friends of the LSU Textile & Costume Museum and raised money for both museums.
For an LSU fine arts graduate, showing her work back on campus was a full-circle moment.
Clearing Up the Confusion About June Baranco
Many websites write about June with details that aren’t confirmed. Here is what to keep in mind.
Her early career. Some sites say she worked as a flight attendant. No trusted source we found confirms it.
Her birth date. Sites list ages and dates without sources.
Divorce details. Some sites repeat one-sided claims from court papers. The full story was never confirmed by both sides.
Settlement figure. The reported split of Bryant’s wealth comes from media reports, not official records.
Her business. Geaux Chapeaux is her own confirmed millinery business, based on her site.
Why June Baranco Prefers a Quiet Life
June lived in the public eye during her marriage to one of TV’s best-known anchors. After the divorce, she chose a quieter, creative life.
Her public presence now is mostly through her art and hats, not interviews about her past.
That choice lets her be known for what she makes, not just who she married.
June Baranco Today
As of 2026, June is known as an artist and hat designer. Her children are grown, and her daughter’s wedding inspired her later career.
Bryant, now in his late seventies, retired from Real Sports in 2023.
June’s story shows that a long marriage ending doesn’t have to mean the end of growth. Sometimes it’s where a new creative life begins.
Final Thoughts
Some people discover their true passion early. Others find it later, sometimes by accident. June Baranco studied fine art at LSU in her early twenties, spent decades raising a family alongside a famous husband, and then found her calling while making headpieces for her daughter’s wedding.
There’s something hopeful in that. A practical problem, not being able to find the right hat, turned into a new identity as an artist and business owner.
Her story leaves a question worth thinking about. How many of our hidden talents are just waiting for the right moment, or the right small problem, to bring them back to life?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is June Baranco?
June Baranco is an artist and hat designer from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was married to TV journalist Bryant Gumbel from 1973 to 2001.
How many children do June Baranco and Bryant Gumbel have?
Two: son Bradley, born in 1978, and daughter Jillian, born in 1984.
When did June Baranco and Bryant Gumbel divorce?
They divorced in 2001, after 28 years of marriage.
What does June Baranco do now?
She runs Geaux Chapeaux, a custom hat business she started after making headpieces for her daughter’s 2011 wedding. She also paints.
Who is Bryant Gumbel married to now?
He married Hilary Quinlan in 2002.
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