Ned Flanders
Ned is a double widower, having been married to the equally religious Maude. They had two children together; the sheltered and naive Rod and Todd Flanders. In the eleventh season, Maude died an untimely death in a freak accident involving a T-shirt cannon, leaving Flanders alone and grieving. While still married to Maude, Ned married Ginger, while on a drunken bender in Las Vegas. Ginger came to live with Ned and his sons for a brief period following Maude's death in a later episode, but she quickly grew tired of the Flanders' sickly-sweet personalities and fled. Despite his outward nerdishness, Flanders has also been connected romantically with a beautiful Christian-rock singer, Rachel Jordan, movie star Sara Sloane and eventually marrying local teacher Edna Krabappel until she died as well.
Edward Quartermaine
Edward became so anxious to shut down Ned's singing career that he bought Ned's record company, L&B, right out from under the noses of Ned's wife, Lois, and her business partner, Brenda Barrett. Lois got her company back with the help of Jasper "Jax" Jacks, and Jax got a spot on the ELQ board, which did not make Edward happy, especially when Jax teamed up with Tracy to take over ELQ. When this plan came to light, Edward banished his daughter a third time. When Edward found out Jason fathered a child, Michael, Edward became obsessed with bringing Michael home. He even tried to kidnap the child. This plan drove Justus away from the family and into the mob with Jason. Growing frustrated, Edward promised A.J. the CEO position at ELQ if he could bring Michael home to the Quartermaines, pitting him against Ned. A.J. couldn't believe his luck when it was revealed that Jason wasn't Michael's father – A.J. was. Edward was thrilled as well, but he was forced to eat his words when A.J. was able to bring Michael into the Quartermaine fold by marrying Michael's mother, Carly. A.J. threatened to leave with his new family if Edward didn't fork over the CEO position. So A.J. was appointed as CEO, and Ned left, telling Edward that he would not come in and save the family again.