Joanne Schieble Simpson: A Biography of Steve Jobs’ Birth Mother- Know Her Age, Birthplace, Education & Career

Joanne Schieble Simpson was the mother of a remarkable innovator and one of the co-founders of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs. She was born in Wisconsin, USA, on January 1, 1932, and she passed away in California, USA, on December 19, 2018.

Joanne Schieble Simpson’s story is pretty amazing. She made the difficult choice to give her child up for adoption, and then she saw him grow into someone who created one of the biggest and most important companies in the world.

In this biography, we’ll dive into Joanne’s life, her relationship with Steve Jobs, and the impact she had on the technology industry.

Joanne Schieble Profile’s Summary

Full NameJoanne Carole Schieble Simpson
Age91 years as of 2023
GenderFemale
Birth Year1932
BirthplaceWisconsin, USA
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison
Famous forBeing Steve Jobs’s Mother
ParentsArthur and Irene Schieble
Relationship with Steve JobsBirth mother
Husband/SpouseAbdulfattah Jandali (m. 1955–1962) and George Simpson (divorced)
ChildrenSteve Jobs, Mona Simpson (with Abdulfattah Jandali) and
John Simpson (with George Simpson)
ProfessionSpeech-language pathologist
Later YearsJoanne lived a private life away from the public eye.
She passed away on January 19, 2018.
NationalityAmerican, swiss
ReligionChristian
Zodiac SignLeo
Hair ColourBlonde
Eye ColourBrown

Childhood and Early Life of Joanne Schieble Simpson

Joanne Schieble Simpson was born on January 1, 1932, to Arthur and Irene Schieble. Her mother, a Swiss Catholic, met her father, a Syrian refugee who converted to Islam, at the University of Wisconsin. Joanne’s parents were disowned after getting married against the wishes of her maternal grandparents.

joanne schieble simpson

Due to their financial difficulties, Joanne’s parents separated when she was still a little child. Joanne’s mother wed George Simpson, and her father relocated to Syria. Being an excellent and encouraging man in her life, Joanne finally adopted her stepfather’s last name.

Education and Career of Joanne Carole Schieble

Joanne went to the University of Wisconsin, where she crossed paths with Abdulfattah Jandali (who later became Steve Jobs’s father). Interestingly, he was around the same age as one of their teachers.

Mr. Jandali, who was a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin, had come to the United States from Hums when he was twenty years old. He finished his doctoral studies in his early twenties.

Joanne moved to San Francisco after receiving her degree and started working as a speech therapist. On February 24, 1955, Joanne gave birth to her son, Steve, in San Francisco, California. She was only 23 years old at the time and wasn’t married.

Pregnancy and Adoption

On February 24, 1955, Joanne Schieble Simpson became a mother when she gave birth to Steve Jobs. The situation wasn’t easy because both her parents and Abdulfattah Jandali, Steve’s biological father, were upset about the pregnancy. Jandali was worried that having a child might affect the marriage he was supposed to have with another Syrian woman. After some discussions, Joanne’s parents convinced her to give the baby up for adoption.

Paul Jobs

It was on that very day, February 24, 1955, at the San Francisco General Hospital, that Steve Jobs was born. Paul Reinhold and Clara Jobs adopted him and made a promise to give him a good life and a great education.

Reconnecting with Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, one of the most well-known and successful business people globally, helped create Apple Inc. Interestingly, he didn’t know he was adopted until he turned 27. In 1986, Steve’s real sister, Mona Simpson, found their birth mother and arranged a meeting for them.

As Steve and Joanne began to spend time together, she became an important part of his life. She also got close to Steve’s wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, and their children.

Impact on Steve’s Life

Even though they weren’t particularly close for much of it, Joanne Schieble Simpson significantly impacted Steve’s life. Steve Jobs commended Joanne for instilling a passion for learning and a drive to make a difference in the world in his well-known Stanford commencement speech in 2005.

joanne schieble simpson' son

“My biological mother opted to give me up for adoption since she was a young, single graduate student,” he stated. Mother was confident that college graduates should adopt me, so everything was set up for a lawyer and his wife to adopt me as soon as I was born.

With the exception that they abruptly decided they wanted a girl when I popped out. As a result, a call was made to my parents, who were on a waiting list.

Is Joanne Schieble Simpson Still Alive?

Joanne Simpson, who is 89 years old and the birth mother of the founder of Apple, is currently dealing with terminal dementia, according to her family.

Unfortunately, her mental abilities are greatly limited, and she doesn’t even recognize herself, let alone understand the situation with her son whom she had to give up for adoption. Joanne Schieble Simpson is still alive, and she resides in a respected nursing home.

Conclusion

The life story of Joanne Schieble Simpson teaches us about the importance of never giving up and how one person’s impact can be strong, even if it’s not obvious right away.

Her interactions with Jobs and her personal and professional life show us the determination and enduring love that a mother has to offer.

One of the Greatest Speeches Ever | Steve Jobs

FAQs About Joanne Carole Schieble

Q. Who is Steve Jobs’s biological mother?

Ans: Joanne Schieble Simpson

Q. How did Steve Jobs find his sister?

Ans: Jobs located his birth mother, who revealed he had a hidden sister and eventually set up their meeting.

Q. Who has the most shares in Apple?

Ans: Vanguard Group, Inc.

Beyond Joanne Simpson Under Wiki Listing

1 thought on “Joanne Schieble Simpson: A Biography of Steve Jobs’ Birth Mother- Know Her Age, Birthplace, Education & Career”

  1. This is incorrect: Interestingly, he didn’t know he was adopted until he turned 27.

    He knew he was adopted early in his life. He had a closed adoption. He recalls discussing it with a neighbor child when he was 6 or 7 years old as quoted in his biography written by Walter Isaacson.

    Reply

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