Ed Gein's girlfriend was Adeline Watkins. After Gein's arrest in 1957, Watkins, a 50-year-old woman from his hometown, came forward stating she had been romantically involved with him for about two decades. She described Gein as "good and kind and sweet" and mentioned that they shared interests like reading and discussing true crime murders. Watkins claimed that Gein had proposed to her around 1955, although she declined because she felt unable to meet his expectations. However, she later retracted some of her claims about the length and nature of their relationship, suggesting they were only casually dating on and off for about seven months. Despite the notoriety of Gein's crimes, Watkins expressed that she loved him.

In summary, Adeline Watkins was considered Ed Gein's girlfriend, but the details about the seriousness and duration of their relationship are somewhat disputed.