Kate Gosselin Parents: Meet Charlene and Kenton Kreider

Kate Gosselin was born Katie Irene Kreider on March 28, 1975, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Charlene Kreider and Kenton Kreider. The Jon & Kate Plus 8 star was the third of five children and grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where her father served as a pastor.

Who Is Charlene Kreider?

Charlene “Char” Kreider is Kate’s mother. She married Kenton Kreider on March 16, 1968, in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was stationed during his U.S. Navy service. The couple celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary before Kenton’s death in 2021.

Charlene was a steadfast defender of her daughter during the height of the Gosselin family’s public turmoil. In 2010, she posted a lengthy defense of Kate on an online forum, pushing back against criticism from Kate’s sister-in-law Jodi Kreider and Jodi’s sister Julie.

“I will defend my daughter, Kate before my daughter-in-law,” Charlene wrote. “Jodie has been very unkind to me over the years. She and Julie ARE NOT nice people.”

She added: “Kate is a great mom—loves her kids more than anyone or anything and would do anything for them. I know this firsthand, people, so please stop tearing her down!!”

Who Was Kenton Kreider?

Kenton Eugene Kreider was Kate’s father. He was born on May 1, 1949, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, to Clair E. Kreider and the late Edythe I. Robinson Kreider. He died on April 20, 2021, at age 71.

Kenton served four years in the United States Navy after graduating from Lower Dauphin High School in 1967. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biblical Studies from Lancaster Bible College and a Master of Education degree from Millersville University.

He worked as a sixth-grade teacher at Mt. Calvary Christian School in Elizabethtown before teaching science and Bible studies at the middle school level for many years. He later taught history and social studies at Lititz Christian School. Following his retirement from teaching, Kenton became a visitation pastor for Elizabethtown Christian & Missionary Alliance Church and later served as pastor of Cassels Alliance Church in Manchester.

According to his obituary, Kenton was survived by five children: Kendra, Christen, Katie, Kevin, and Clairissa. He also had 24 grandchildren and one great-grandchild at the time of his death.

Kate’s Estrangement from Her Family

Kate was reportedly estranged from her parents for years before her father’s death. It is not known whether they reconciled before he passed away.

The rift reportedly began during Kate’s rise to fame. A baby nurse who cared for the sextuplets told Us Weekly that Kenton’s parishioners donated cribs to the growing family, but Kate rejected them because they did not all match. “Things like that caused a rift,” the nurse said. She added that Kate “thought they were owed stuff. The money factor was huge.”

Kate’s sister Kendra told the Daily Mail in 2014 that Kate had cut off contact with her entire family. “Kate does not speak to her family at all. It is very painful,” Kendra said. “I guess we weren’t totally on board with what was going on with the kids. I guess we weren’t excited enough for her and were concerned about her family.”

She added: “We are just normal, everyday people and she doesn’t want us to be part of her life.”

Siblings

Kate has four siblings: three sisters named Kendra, Christen, and Clairissa, and one brother named Kevin. Kevin Kreider and his wife Jodi were early participants in Jon & Kate Plus 8 before they were let go from the show. Kevin later testified against Kate and Jon in a 2010 child labor dispute regarding the reality series.