Although Meara was raised a Roman Catholic, she converted to Judaism six years after marrying Stiller. She insisted that she did not convert at Stiller’s request, but because “Catholicism was dead to me.” She took her conversion seriously and studied the Jewish faith in such depth that her Jewish-born husband quipped, “Being married to Anne has made me more Jewish.” They discussed how they met and their early career during a guest appearance on the TV game show, What’s My Line? in 1968.
With husband Jerry Stiller, Meara had two children, Amy and Ben, who both became actors.
Meara died on May 23, 2015, at the age of 85.
She is survived by her husband, two children, and two grandchildren.
