They divorced in 1948. In 1950, he married Elaine Scott. They remained married till Steinbeck's death.
John Steinbeck died on the 20th of December, 1968, at the age of 66, in Manhattan, New York, of heart failure. In keeping with his wishes, he was cremated, and on the 4th of March 1969, he was interred at the Hamilton family grave in Salinas.