Who Is Ellen Heidingsfelder? All About Cooper Manning’s Wife

Ellen Heidingsfelder is the wife of Cooper Manning. But she has her own interesting story too. She is a lawyer from New Orleans. She was also very good at sports when she was young.

Ellen is part of the famous Manning family. Her husband Cooper is the older brother of Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. Her father-in-law is former football star Archie Manning. Her son Arch Manning also became a college football player.

Still Ellen likes to keep her life private. She has focused on her family and her work. In this article we will learn about her age. Early life. Education. Sports career. Legal work. Marriage. And family.

Who Is Ellen Heidingsfelder?

Ellen Heidingsfelder is an American lawyer. She lives in New Orleans Louisiana. Many people know her as Cooper Manning’s wife. Cooper was a football player when he was young. He later worked in business and sports TV.

Ellen is different from many people linked to famous families. She does not look for public attention. She rarely talks about her private life in interviews. She also keeps much of her daily life away from the public.

There is much more to Ellen than being Cooper Manning’s wife. She studied hard and became a lawyer. She was also a talented school athlete. Today she is also known as the mother of May. Arch. And Heid Manning.

Ellen Heidingsfelder’s Early Life

Ellen Heidingsfelder was reportedly born on December 20 1968. She was born in New Orleans Louisiana. If this widely reported birthday is correct Ellen is 57 years old in 2026. Her birth sign is Sagittarius.

Her father is reported to be Charles E. Heidingsfelder. Her mother was Dota “Dot” Heidingsfelder. Reports also say Ellen grew up with sisters named Jane Heidingsfelder and Molly Silvia. She spent her younger years in the New Orleans area.

New Orleans became a big part of Ellen’s life. She grew up there and later built her career there. She and Cooper also raised their family in the city. Ellen has stayed close to her Louisiana roots for many years.

Ellen Heidingsfelder’s Education

Ellen took school seriously when she was young. She attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans. She worked hard in class. At the same time she found time to enjoy sports and other school activities.

After finishing school Ellen reportedly went to the University of Virginia. She later studied law at Loyola University in New Orleans. Her years of study helped her prepare for the job she wanted to do.

Becoming a lawyer takes a lot of study and hard work. Ellen stayed focused on her goal. She later became an attorney. This gave her a career of her own before the Manning family became an even bigger name in sports.

Ellen Heidingsfelder’s Athletic Years

Ellen was not only good at school. She was also a very good athlete. She played volleyball at the Academy of the Sacred Heart. She also took part in track and field during her school years.

A big moment came in 1986. Ellen helped her school volleyball team win a state title. Reports say she was also named the top player in the championship game. It was a proud moment in her young life.

Her school later honored her again. Ellen joined its Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015. Her daughter May later played volleyball at the same school. This made sports a special link between Ellen and her daughter.

Ellen Heidingsfelder’s Career as a Lawyer

After finishing her studies Ellen started working as a lawyer. She built her career in New Orleans. Her work gave her a life outside the football world that made the Manning family so famous.

Some reports say Ellen has worked in law for more than 30 years. Different websites give different details about the type of law she handles. Some mention family cases. Others mention insurance and product cases.

Because these reports do not fully agree it is better to be careful. What we do know is that Ellen has worked as an attorney in New Orleans. She also keeps most details about her work private.

How Ellen Heidingsfelder Met Cooper Manning

Ellen and Cooper Manning both grew up around New Orleans. Reports say they knew each other when they were young. They also had some of the same friends. Over time their friendship became something more.

Cooper loved football when he was young. He was a talented player at Isidore Newman School. He hoped to keep playing in college. Sadly doctors found a problem with his spine called spinal stenosis.

The condition ended Cooper’s football dream. It was a hard time in his life. Reports say Ellen and Cooper became close around this time. Their relationship grew over the years. They later decided to build a life together.

Ellen Heidingsfelder and Cooper Manning’s Marriage

Ellen Heidingsfelder and Cooper Manning got married in 1999. Their marriage made Ellen part of a very famous football family. Cooper is the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and his wife Olivia Manning.

Cooper’s younger brothers are Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. Both became famous NFL quarterbacks. Yet Ellen and Cooper did not make fame the main part of their home life. They stayed close to their New Orleans roots.

By 2026 Ellen and Cooper have been married for more than 25 years. They have three children named May. Arch. And Heid.

Ellen Heidingsfelder’s Three Children

Ellen Heidingsfelder and Cooper Manning have three children. Their names are May Manning. Arch Manning. And Heid Manning. Sports became a big part of their lives. Still their parents tried to give them a normal family life.

May is the oldest child. Arch is the middle child. Heid is the youngest. Each child found a different path. Yet all three grew up around sports. This is not surprising when both sides of their family have strong sports roots.

Ellen has mostly stayed quiet about raising her children. She does not often share private family stories with the public. Still she has been seen supporting her children. She and Cooper have remained close to them as they became adults.

Ellen Heidingsfelder as Arch Manning’s Mom

Arch Manning was born on April 27 2004. He became the most famous of Ellen’s three children because of football. He played quarterback at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. His strong play quickly brought national attention.

Arch later joined the Texas Longhorns. His famous last name brought a lot of pressure. His grandfather Archie was an NFL quarterback. His uncles Peyton and Eli were also NFL stars. People naturally wanted to know if Arch could follow them.

But Arch did not get his sports skills only from the Manning side. Ellen was a good athlete too. Cooper has joked that Arch got his running speed from his mother. Ellen’s past in track and volleyball makes that story even more fun.

May and Heid Manning

May Manning is Ellen and Cooper’s oldest child. Like her mother May became a volleyball player. She attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart. It was the same New Orleans school where Ellen had once played volleyball.

May helped her school win a state volleyball title in 2020. She later attended the University of Virginia. In 2025 Cooper proudly shared that his daughter had finished college. Reports say she studied business and also learned about starting businesses.

Heid Manning also grew up around sports. He played football at Isidore Newman School. At one point he played center while Arch played quarterback. Imagine that family moment. One brother could snap the football directly to the other brother.

Ellen Heidingsfelder and the Manning Family

Marriage placed Ellen Heidingsfelder inside one of football’s best-known families. Her father-in-law is Archie Manning. He spent many years playing quarterback in the NFL. Her mother-in-law is Olivia Manning.

Ellen’s brothers-in-law are Peyton and Eli Manning. Both became major NFL stars. They each won two Super Bowls. Football has clearly played a huge role in this family for many years.

Still Ellen brings her own sports story to the family. She was a volleyball player and track athlete. Her daughter followed her volleyball path. Her sons played football. The children therefore grew up with sports talent on both sides of their family.

Ellen Heidingsfelder’s Religion and Charity Work

Several reports say Ellen grew up in a Catholic family. Faith is said to be important in her life. Some websites also say her faith had an effect on Cooper. However many private details about their religion have not been publicly confirmed.

Ellen has also been linked with the Manning family’s charity work. The family has supported causes for children and families. In 2025 their name became closely linked with Manning Family Children’s in New Orleans.

The work aims to help sick children and their families get good care. Ellen has appeared as part of the wider Manning family support. Still her exact personal role is not fully public. So it is best not to make bigger claims.

Ellen Heidingsfelder’s Height Net Worth and Private Life

Ellen Heidingsfelder’s height is often reported as about 5 feet 6 inches. Some sites also list her weight. However these body details have not been confirmed by Ellen herself. They should be seen as online reports rather than certain facts.

People also search for Ellen Heidingsfelder’s net worth. Some websites place it near $1 million. Others give much larger ranges. There are no trusted public records that show her exact personal wealth. Her true net worth remains private.

Ellen has earned money through her legal career. Cooper has also had a long career in business and television. Still that does not tell us Ellen’s personal wealth. Exact online numbers should therefore be treated only as estimates.

Where Is Ellen Heidingsfelder Today?

As of 2026 Ellen remains strongly connected to New Orleans Louisiana. This city has been part of nearly every stage of her story. She grew up there. She studied law there. She worked there. And she raised her family there.

Today more attention often comes her way because of Arch Manning. Football fans want to know about his parents and famous family. Ellen still does not appear interested in becoming a public star herself.

That quiet life makes her interesting in another way. She is surrounded by famous sports names. Yet she has kept her own work and family at the center of her life. She appears only when there is a reason to do so.

Final Thoughts

It is easy to call Ellen simply Cooper Manning’s wife. But that leaves out a large part of her life. She was already a strong student and gifted athlete before she became part of the Manning family.

She later became a lawyer and built a long career. She also raised three children who found their own paths. May followed her mother into volleyball. Arch became a quarterback. Heid also grew up playing football.

Ellen’s story shows another side of the Manning family. Football may get most of the headlines. But behind those headlines is a mother with her own career. Her own sports history. And a life that she has worked hard to keep private.

(FAQs)

Who are Ellen Heidingsfelder’s parents?

Ellen Heidingsfelder’s parents are Charles and Dota “Dot” Heidingsfelder. Ellen grew up in New Orleans with her family. She has kept most details about her parents and childhood private.

Does Ellen Heidingsfelder have an illness?

There is no trusted report that Ellen Heidingsfelder has a serious illness. Some websites may share unclear health claims. Ellen has not publicly said that she is dealing with a major illness.

Does Ellen Heidingsfelder have Instagram?

Ellen Heidingsfelder does not appear to have a verified public Instagram account. She likes to keep her life private. However fans may sometimes see her in family photos shared by Cooper Manning.

How old is Ellen Heidingsfelder and when is her birthday?

Ellen Heidingsfelder was reportedly born on December 20 1968. She is 57 years old as of September 2026. She will turn 58 in December 2026.

Is Ellen Heidingsfelder an attorney and what was she like when young?

Ellen Heidingsfelder is an attorney in New Orleans. When she was young she was also a talented athlete. She played volleyball and took part in track before starting her career in law.

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