Gale Wenk is the Ex-wife of billionaire John du Pont. She worked as a physiotherapist when she met John du Pont, who had injured his hand in a car accident.
Gale Wenk married John du Pont in September 1983, when she was 29. During their marriage, they stayed together for barely six months. Ten months into their marriage, John du Pont filed for a divorce, and consequently, Gale Wenk sued her then-husband, saying that he had threatened her with a gun, once throwing her from a moving car and trying to push her into a fire.
The divorce became final in 1987. Gale Wenk’s ex-husband excluded her in his will despite them being married.
Gale Wenk and John du Pont’s marriage life was short-lived, so they were not blessed with any kids during their time together.
Gale Wenk’s Ex-husband
Gale Wenk’s ex-husband was an American convicted murderer, philanthropist, published ornithologist, and conchologist. He also loved sports activities, constructing a wrestling facility at his Foxcatcher Farm.
John du Pont was born into a wealthy family. His parents were involved in racing, thorough breeding, and shows; through that, they acquired much wealth and land. He studied at the University of Miami, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in zoology.
When Gale Wenk’s ex-husband was like thirty years, he was involved in an accident while riding a horse which led to an injury on his testicles; they became infected and were eventually removed and replaced with prosthetics.
As a philanthropist, Gale Wenk’s ex-husband helped fund a basketball arena at Villanova University; today called the Finneran Pavilion. He also founded the Delaware Museum of Natural history. John also established a wrestling facility on his Foxcatcher Farm, with support buildings where some of the wrestlers and community members lived
The Murder of Dave Schultz.
Despite being a philanthropist, he was also mentally unstable; sometimes, he claimed to be Jesus Christ. In 1996, Gale Wenk’s ex-husband killed his friend Dave Schultz, an Olympic gold medalist. Dave was preparing for an Olympic bid and coaching a wrestling team on the Foxcatcher center at his death.
Dave Schultz was coming out of the car on the driveway when Gale Wenk’s ex-husband shot and killed him. Patrick Goodale was in the car seat when all this happened; he came out when he heard the shooting. John then turned the gun towards Nancy, Dave’s wife, who was coming out of the house. Nancy ran to the house and called 911 as Patrick tried to calm down John.
John du Pont ran from the crime scene but was arrested 48 hours later, tried in a court of law, and sentenced to serve 30 years in prison.
Her Ex-Husband’s Death
Gale Wenk’s ex-husband died aged 72 on December 9, 2010, from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. John du Pont was unresponsive when officers found him lying on his bed in the State Correctional Institution, Laurel Highlands.
His burial was at the Du Pont de Nemours Cemetery, Wilmington, Delaware, according to his will.
