Marilyn and her step-children, Jane and Bobby Miller, New York, 1957 (top). And, Marilyn and step-son Joe Jr. in Florida, 1961. Joe Jr. wears the black swim trunks with white belt. The other man is Joe Sr. Her step-children were important to her and she stayed in touch with them after her marriages to Joe and Arthur ended. She pondered the burden her fame had on her step-children during her last interview with writer Richard Meryman, “Sometimes they would read terrible things about me, and I’d worry about whether it would hurt them. I would tell them: don’t hide these things for me. I’d rather you ask me these things straight out and I’ll answer all of your questions.” She remained close to the children until her death. The home address and phone number for the Miller children and also Joe Jr. were listed in Marilyn’s final phone books from 1962. In one of the phone books, she even made a handwritten entry for Joe Jr., writing, “Joey - HI-22031.” It’s reported that she spoke to Joe DiMaggio Jr. on the phone on August 4, the final day of her life. Today, the phone books are part of the Marilyn Monroe Collection. #marilynmonroe