Who was Beau Biden? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Joseph Robinette Biden III

Died At Age: 46

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Hallie Biden (m. 2002–2015)

siblings: Ashley Biden, Hunter Biden, Naomi Biden

children: Hunter Biden, Natalie Biden

Born Country: United States

Lawyers Political Leaders

Died on: May 30, 2015

place of death: Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Ancestry: British American, Irish American, French American

Cause of Death: Glioblastoma

U.S. State: Delaware

More Facts

education: Syracuse University, University Of Pennsylvania

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Childhood & Early Life

Beau Biden was born on February 3, 1969, in Wilmington, Delaware. He was the eldest child of the 46th U.S President, Joe Biden, and his wife Neilia. Biden’s mother, Neilia Biden, and his younger sister Naomi were killed in a car accident in 1972.

His mother and his younger sister, Noami, were killed in an car accident on December 18, 1942. Beau Biden and his younger brother, Hunter, were also in the car at the time of accident but survived with critical injuries.

In June 1977, Joe Biden’s father married Jill Jacobs and brought the two boys “second mother”. Beau Biden has a half-sister, Ashley, who was born few years later his father’s second marriage.

He completed his education from Archmere Academy and University of Pennsylvania where he was also a member of Psi Upsilon fraternity. He also graduated from Syracuse University College of Law.

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Career

After graduating in law, Beau Biden clerked for Judge Steven McAuliffe of United States District Court of New Hampshire. He worked at the United States Department of Justice for nearly nine years from 1995 to 2004.

In 2004, he started his private law firm in a partnership and worked there till 2006, before being elected Delaware attorney general.

Simultaneously in 2003, he joined the military, and as member of the Delaware Army National Guard and served as a Major in the Judge Advocate General's Corps.

His unit, 261st Signal Brigade, was deployed in Iraq in 2008, and Beau Biden had a one year stint in Iraq from October 2008, to September 2009. In between in January 2009, he returned to America to attend his father's swearing-in as Vice President.

After a yearlong stint in Iraq, Biden returned from Iraq in September 2009. During his deployment in Iraq, Biden could not actively serve as Delaware’s Attorney General but entrusted his duties to his deputy so that he could focus on his work in Iraq.

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Political Career

Beau Biden started his career in politics in 2006, by running for Attorney General of Delaware. His opponent was a veteran state prosecutor and Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ferris Wharton. The main focus of the campaign was on candidates’ experience.

The other issues that were the highlight of the campaign included efforts to address problems like sex offenders, senior abuse and domestic abuse, internet predators. Biden proved himself by winning the election by five percentage points.

When Joe Biden resigned from Senate following his 2008 elections to vice presidency, his aide Ted Kaufman was supposed to fill the vacant seat. However, Kaufman expressed his disinterest to be a candidate in the 2010 special election.

At this time, speculation ran high that Beau Biden would run for the post. But Kaufman was appointed and all the speculations came to a rest. Joe Biden gave a statement saying that his son would run for the post of a Senate in future, but he will run for it and win it on his own.

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In October 2009, Beau Biden expressed his desire to run for Senate and announced that he would make a final decision in January. He was re-elected to a second term as Delaware Attorney in November 2, 2010. He successfully defeated the Independent Party of Delaware candidate, Dough Campbell by huge margin.

In 2014, Beau Biden did not contest for a third term as Attorney General and announced his intention for Governor of Delaware in 2016 election but by that time he was already diagnosed with cancer.

Awards & Achievements

Beau Biden was posthumously awarded the Albert Schweitzer Leadership Award, the highest order given by the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership in 2015.

He was awarded a Bronze Star for his service in Iraq.

He was presented with Legion of Merit for his service in the Delaware National Guard by Army Chief of Staff Raymond Odierno.

He was also presented with The Delaware Conspicuous Service cross posthumously.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 2002, Beau Biden married Hallie Olivere and had two children, Natalie and Hunter.

In 2010, Biden was admitted to Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware after complaining of headaches and numbness. It was reported that he had suffered from “mild stroke”. Later, Biden was transferred to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and kept under observation for many days.

In 2013, he was admitted to the University of Texas D Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and was diagnosed with brain cancer. Biden went through radiation and chemotherapy treatments and when the cancer was removed, his condition became stable.

On May 20, 2015, he was again admitted in a hospital in Maryland because of RELAPSE of the cancer. Ten days later, on May 30, 2015, he died at the age of 46.

On June 6, 2015, Beau Biden’s funeral was held at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware. His funeral was attended by many people, including then President Barack Obama, then First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha. Former President Bill Clinton and former First Lady Hillary Clinton also attended his funeral.

Trivia

Beau Biden was a fan of band ‘Coldplay’ and a solo rendition of song ‘Til Kingdom Come’ was performed by Chris Martin at his funeral.

In 2017, it was reported by the media that widow of Beau Biden, Hallie Biden is dating his younger brother, Hunter Biden.

Beau Biden Biography