Neilia Hunter is the first wife of Joe Biden - a veteran American politician and former vice-president under the administration of Barrack Obama. Neilia Hunter died alongside her little daughter, Naomi in a car crash on December 18, 1972. Recently, she is been talked about, owing much from her husband's victory in the November 2020 U.S elections as the 46th president-elect. This has brought her into the minds of many, seeking to unravel everything about the man, Joe Biden and his family, which Neilia's memories remain integral.
It is interesting to note that Neilia continues to be a big part of the Biden family, from his early beginnings and his journey into the foray of American politics. Also, she is famous in Delaware, where Biden has served as a Senator from 1972-2003. A park in New Castle County, outside the city of Wilmington, is named "Neilia Hunter Biden Park" in her honour and memory. This article talks about Neilia Hunter and 5 facts about Joe Biden's first wife.
5 Facts About Neilia Hunter, Joe Biden's First Wife
Neilia Hunter was an Educator
Upon graduation from Syracuse University and an additional Masters degree in English, Neilia went into the teaching profession and taught at the Syracuse City School District. Also, moved by her passion to educate beyond borders, she took out time to educate special needs students. Though she did not live long enough to share her dreams to the world, the years she spent on earth were fruitful and impactful on the lives of those that came across her. It will not be out of place to refer to Joe Biden as a sapiosexual. This is because, after the death of his beloved Neilia, he took some years off, and finally got entangled with Jill Biden - yet another educator, whom he married in 1977.
Neilia Hunter was born on July 28, 1942, in Skaneateles, New York, United States of America. As a little girl, Neilia attended Penn Hall, a secondary boarding school in Pennsylvania and for College education, she schooled at the Syracuse University. She first met Joe Biden while he was on Spring break in Nassau, in the Bahamas.
How Did She Meet Joe Biden?
Most accounts had described their meeting as divine, this is because, Joe and a couple of his friends had initially visited Florida for their spring break, but decided to visit Nassau in the Bahamas when things got boring in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Their first encounter was at a luxurious hotel where Nailia was said to be sunbathing by the poolside and then came Joe and his boys.
Years later, Joe will reveal in his memoir how he approached the pretty Neilia and how she was the sweetest thing that happened to him at that point in his life. “Once I had Neilia with me, it became more of a plan than a daydream.” The aforementioned were some of his words on their meetings.
Subsequently, they became close pals and later got into a serious relationship which culminated into marriage by August 27, 1966. By this time, Joe Biden was still in the Syracuse University College of Law. But, unfortunately, six years after, tragedy struck, when a truck ran into the car of Neilia, with her three kids, Beau, Hunter and Noami all inside.
Her Parents Were Supportive of their Union
At 24-years-old Neilia looked pretty young to start a family of her own, but her parents, Robert and Louise Hunter were supportive of their union and did not hinder them from going ahead with their marriage plans. There is an account that revealed Joe Biden's conversation with Neilia's mother, where she inquired of him, what he was up to and his plans for the future with her daughter? It is said that Joe Biden had jokingly told her he wants to become the president of the United States someday and that dream kick-started a few years later when he replaced Republican incumbent J. Caleb Boggs in the US Senate seat as the Delaware representative in 1973.
Unlike Jill's parents, who initially refused support for her relationship and eventual marriage to Joe Biden, reasons being that they did not want to have anything to do with Roman Catholics, which Joe was a proud and bonafide member.
Neilia Hunter Loves Sports
Neilia was the definition of beauty with brains, as she was not just an academic but sports enthusiast. A few reports have shown that she was very active in the hockey while in Penn Hall secondary boarding school. She was also a member of her school swimming team and a scholar who helped out in the French club and lastly, an astute and dogged representative in the student council. Further revelations in her school's yearbook have shown that Neilia was also a resourceful student at the Penn Hall preparatory school in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where she graduated in 1960. She was the photography editor of the Penntonian - an annual school magazine, was also the vice president and then president of the International Relations Club. In fact, she was all shades of smart, intelligent, hardworking and possessed good leadership qualities in her three decades on earth.
It is also important to note that Neilia Hunter and Joe Biden were both of same age bracket.
She was a Registered Democrat
Several stories and feeds have been written on Neilia Hunter been a devout Republican, but facts continue to show that she was a registers democrat. Whether these accounts infiltrating the net were to stall and cast doubts as one of the numerous propagandas on the transparency of Joe Biden's presidential campaign is what has not been confirmed. But, reports have it that, as far back as 1972, Neilia was Joe Biden's special adviser and the brain behind his campaign in his run-off to the U.S. Senate against a Republican senator. If truly Neilia Hunter was a Republican, campaigning and advising an opposition would have counted as anti-party activities.