Cynthia Lennon, John Lennon's Ex-Wife, Dead From Cancer at 75 Dayna Evans · 04/01/15 02:30PM Cynthia Lennon, the first wife of John Lennon, died Wednesday of cancer, her only son Julian confirmed on his website and Twitter. Cynthia, whose maiden name was Powell, met Lennon in art school in Liverpool in 1957, right before the Beatles formed.