n the fall of 1934 Vince Lombardi's roommate Jim Lawlor introduced him to his cousin's relative, Marie Planitz. When Marie announced her ardent desire to marry Lombardi, her father told her that he did not want his daughter marrying an Italian,a prejudice against his heritage he would face more than once in his life.Lombardi and Marie wed, nonetheless, on August 31, 1940.

Marie miscarried her first child with Lombardi. The "terrible effect" this had on Marie caused her to turn to heavy drinking, a problem she would deal with on more than one occasion in her life. On April 27, 1942, their son, Vincent Harold Lombardi (Vince Jr.), was born[ and on February 13, 1947, their daughter Susan was born.

"He seemed preoccupied with football even on their honeymoon, and cut it short to get back to Englewood … 'I wasn't married to him more than one week', she later related, 'when I said to myself, Marie Planitz, you've made the greatest mistake of your life.'" Lombardi's perfectionism, authoritarian nature[

and temper,instilled in his wife a masterful ability to verbally assault and demean Lombardi when he verbally abused her.His children were not immune from his yelling. When Lombardi had not lost his temper, he would often be reticent and aloof.

Lombardi's grandson, Joe Lombardi is the current quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints. In the 2009 season, he helped lead the Saints to win the trophy bearing his grandfather's name and Drew Brees to win a Super Bowl MVP award.

Marie Lombardi