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Neilia Hunter Biden

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Neilia Hunter
File:Neilia Hunter.jpeg
Born(1942-07-28)July 28, 1942
Skaneateles, New York, U.S.
DiedDecember 18, 1972(1972-12-18) (aged 30)
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Cause of deathTraffic collision
Resting placeGreenville, Delaware, U.S.
Other namesNeilia Hunter Biden
Alma materSyracuse University (M.A.)
Known forFirst wife of Joe Biden
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
​
(m. 1966)​
ChildrenBeau (1969–2015)· Hunter (born 1970)· Naomi (1971–1972)
FamilyBiden family (by marriage)

Neilia Hunter Biden (July 28, 1942 – December 18, 1972) was an American educator and the first wife of former Vice President Joe Biden. She died in a car crash in 1972 with her infant daughter, Naomi; her two sons, Beau and Hunter, were severely injured but survived.

Early life and education

Neilia Hunter was born on July 28, 1942, in Skaneateles, New York, to Louise (née Basel; 1915–1993) and Robert Hunter (1914–1991).[1] She attended Penn Hall, a secondary boarding school in Pennsylvania. She was active in the school's French club, hockey, swimming, and student council.[2] After secondary school, she attended Syracuse University and was a school teacher in the Syracuse City School District.[1] She was related to former Auburn city councilman Robert Hunter.[3]

Marriage

Neilia Hunter met Joe Biden in Nassau, Bahamas, while Biden was on spring break.[4] Shortly after, Biden moved to Syracuse and attended law school. The couple married on August 27, 1966.[2] After the wedding, the Bidens moved to Wilmington, Delaware, where Biden was on the New Castle County Council. The couple had three children: Joseph Robinette "Beau", Robert Hunter and Naomi.[5] Biden campaigned to unseat U.S. Senator from Delaware J. Caleb Boggs and Neilia was described by The News Journal as the "brains" of his campaign.[2]

Death

On December 18, 1972, shortly after her husband became U.S. senator-elect, Neilia was driving with children Naomi, Beau and Hunter to buy a Christmas tree.[6] When she pulled into traffic, the car was struck in the right-of-way by a truck. Police determined that Neilia drove into the path of a tractor-trailer, possibly because her head was turned and she didn't see the oncoming truck.[7] Neilia and Naomi died, but her two sons survived with serious injuries.[6][8] Biden later garnered controversy by making incorrect allegations that the truck’s driver, Curtis Dunn, who died in 1999, was drunk at the time.[9] Biden was sworn in at the hospital where his sons were being treated.[2]

Legacy

In a commencement speech at Yale University in 2015, Biden spoke of his wife, saying, "Six weeks after my election, my whole world was altered forever. While I was in Washington hiring staff, I got a phone call. My wife and three children were Christmas shopping, a tractor trailer broadsided them and killed my wife and killed my daughter. And they weren't sure that my sons would live."[10]

A park in a suburban area of unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, outside the city of Wilmington, Neilia Hunter Biden Park, is dedicated in her memory.[11] Cayuga Community College in Auburn, where Neilia's father ran the food service operation for many years, annually confers the Neilia Hunter Biden Award on two graduates, one for journalism and one for English literature.[12] Among the early winners was William (Bill) Fulton, who later served as mayor of Ventura, California.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b "Neilia Hunter to marry J. R. Biden". The News Journal. Wilmington, Del. March 29, 1966. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Joe Biden Was Married To His First Wife, Neilia Hunter, For Only 6 Years". Women's Health. May 13, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  3. ^ Rocheleau, Kelly (April 1, 2020). "'A good, caring person': Former Auburn city councilor Robert Hunter remembered". Auburn Citizen. Auburn, New York. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  4. ^ Osnos, Evan (July 28, 2014). "The Evolution of Joe Biden". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  5. ^ Sarika Jagtiani; Meredith Newman; Andrew Sharp (September 25, 1019). "Hunter Biden: A brief bio of former Vice President Joe Biden's son". The News Journal. Wilmington, Del. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  6. ^ a b McBride, Jessica (April 25, 2019). "How Did Joe Biden's First Wife, Neilia Hunter, Die?". Heavy.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  7. ^ Hamilton, Carl (October 30, 2008). "Daughter of man in '72 Biden crash seeks apology from widowed Senator". Newark Post.
  8. ^ Macon, Alexandra (November 17, 2016). "Joe and Jill Biden's Love Story Will Pull at Your Heartstrings". Vogue. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  9. ^ Hamilton, Carl (October 30, 2008). "Daughter of man in '72 Biden crash seeks apology from widowed Senator". Newark Post.
  10. ^ Lauren Holter (October 7, 2015). "What Happened To Joe Biden's First Wife, Neilia, And Daughter Naomi? It's A Heartbreaking Story". Bustle. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  11. ^ "Neilia Hunter Biden Park". Foursquare City Guide. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  12. ^ "The Joe Biden Auburn met 48 years ago". Auburn Pub. August 23, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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