Deborah Shiling is best known as the first wife of Bernie Sanders, the American politician and former presidential candidate. But long before Sanders became a familiar name in American politics, the two were young university students with an interest in social change.
Deborah took part in the civil rights movement during the 1960s, when Americans were fighting against racial segregation. She married Sanders in September 1964, and the couple began a new chapter of their lives in rural Vermont.
Their marriage ended in 1966, but Deborah’s story did not stop there. She later remarried, raised a family and continued living in Vermont. While Sanders went on to build a national political career, she stayed largely outside public attention.
Her life offers an interesting look at the woman who knew Sanders before his political rise.
Quick Bio: Deborah Shiling
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Deborah Shiling |
| Also Known As | Deborah Shiling Messing |
| Nationality | American |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly confirmed |
| Birthplace | Not publicly confirmed |
| Education | University of Chicago |
| Famous For | Being Bernie Sanders’ first wife |
| Early Activism | Civil rights movement |
| Organisation | Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) |
| Social Interests | Racial equality and social justice |
| First Husband | Bernie Sanders |
| First Marriage | September 1964 |
| Divorce Year | 1966 |
| Children with Bernie Sanders | None |
| Second Husband | Bob Messing |
| Second Marriage | 1967 |
| Children | One daughter with Bob Messing |
| Vermont Property | 85 acres in Middlesex, purchased in 1964 |
| Former Occupation | Wine and cheese buyer at a Vermont food co-operative |
| Later Life | Retired and volunteering with 350 Vermont, as reported in 2015 |
Deborah Shiling’s Early Life and Civil Rights Activism
Deborah Shiling grew up with connections to Baltimore, Maryland. Although much of her childhood has remained private, her university years reveal a young woman who cared about social issues.
She attended the University of Chicago during the early 1960s. At that time, American society was going through major changes, particularly in the struggle for racial equality.
Young people across the country were questioning unfair laws and joining peaceful protests. Deborah was among the students who became involved in the civil rights movement.
According to reports published by Baltimore Magazine, she joined the Congress of Racial Equality, commonly known as CORE, around 1960. The organisation worked to challenge racial segregation through peaceful action.
She also reportedly participated in sit-ins at segregated restaurants in Baltimore. During these protests, activists would occupy places where Black customers were denied equal treatment.
The aim was to challenge discrimination and encourage businesses to serve everyone fairly.
Her involvement in these activities is an important part of her early life. She was interested in social justice before becoming connected to a nationally recognised politician.
During her university years, she met Bernie Sanders, who was also involved in civil rights activities.
Sanders participated in protests against racial discrimination at the University of Chicago. Both were part of a generation of students who wanted American society to change.
Their relationship developed during this period, eventually leading to marriage.
How Deborah Shiling Met and Married Bernie Sanders
Deborah Shiling and Bernie Sanders met while studying at the University of Chicago. Their relationship began years before Sanders entered elected politics.
Sanders graduated from the university in June 1964 with a degree in political science. Just a few months later, the couple married in Baltimore.
Their wedding took place in September 1964. At the time, Sanders was a young graduate who had not yet begun the political career that would later make him famous.
The marriage marked the beginning of a period filled with travel and changes in their lives.
The couple visited England, where they spent time with Sanders’ older brother, Larry Sanders. They also travelled to Israel and stayed at a kibbutz, a community where people traditionally shared work and resources.
Larry Sanders later described their overseas journey as part of their honeymoon travels. He recalled that they were in England during the autumn of 1964 and travelled onwards to Israel.
Their visit to the kibbutz has attracted interest because Bernie Sanders later became known for his views on economic equality and social welfare.
For Deborah, however, the journey was also part of her own early adult life.
She was a young woman travelling abroad, experiencing different communities and beginning married life. Those experiences came before either of them knew how their lives would develop.
Their Life in Vermont and the Divorce in 1966
One of the most unusual chapters in the couple’s marriage involved a small property in Vermont.
In August 1964, around the time of their wedding, Deborah and Sanders bought approximately 85 acres of land in Middlesex, a rural town near Montpelier.
The property reportedly cost $2,500. It included a small building that had previously been used as a maple sugar shack.
The building was far from a modern home. It had running water but no electricity, and the surrounding land was largely wooded.
Their property offered a different setting from the busy cities where they had spent their university years.
Life in the Vermont countryside was simple, although reports indicate that the small building was not their permanent home throughout the marriage.
The couple also travelled abroad during this period, so their early married life was not spent entirely on the property.
Vermont later became central to Bernie Sanders’ political career. He eventually served as mayor of Burlington before entering Congress and the United States Senate.
However, his connection to the state began much earlier, during the years he shared with Deborah.
Despite their experiences together, the marriage did not last.
The couple divorced in 1966, less than two years after their wedding. Neither has publicly provided a detailed account of the personal reasons behind their separation.
They had no children together.
Some older reports incorrectly identified Deborah as the mother of Sanders’ son, Levi Sanders. In fact, Levi was born in 1969 to Sanders and his later partner, Susan Campbell Mott.
Following the divorce, Deborah and Sanders went their separate ways.
Their marriage had been brief, but it remained an important part of their early adult lives.
Deborah Shiling’s Second Marriage, Family and Later Life
After her divorce from Bernie Sanders, Deborah Shiling began another chapter of her personal life.
In 1967, she married Bob Messing. The couple later bought Sanders’ remaining share of the Vermont property in 1968.
According to reporting by VTDigger, Deborah and Bob welcomed a daughter about five years after their marriage, in 1973.
This is an important detail because some short biographies mention only that she had no children with Bernie Sanders, without discussing her later family.
Following her second marriage, she became known publicly as Deborah Messing.
Unlike her former husband, she did not pursue a national political career. Instead, she continued building her life in Vermont.
Her working life included a position as a wine and cheese buyer for a Vermont food co-operative.
This job was very different from the world of political campaigns and public speeches that Sanders eventually entered.
However, Deborah did not completely leave behind her interest in social causes.
In a 2015 interview with VTDigger, she was described as retired and involved in volunteer work with 350 Vermont, an organisation concerned with climate change.
Her involvement showed that the social concerns of her younger years had not disappeared entirely.
She also spoke briefly about her former husband during his first presidential campaign.
Although she avoided discussing their personal relationship in detail, she described Sanders as a friend and expressed support for his presidential efforts.
Her comments suggested that their divorce had not prevented them from remaining on friendly terms.
At the same time, she made it clear that she did not want to discuss every part of their past.
This approach has remained a feature of her public profile. She has shared occasional information when approached by journalists, but much of her family life has stayed out of the news.
There is also limited reliable information about her present-day activities, finances or personal circumstances.
Rather than making assumptions about those details, it is more accurate to focus on the parts of her life supported by published reporting.
Why Deborah Shiling’s Story Still Attracts Interest
Interest in Deborah Shiling grew as Bernie Sanders became a major figure in American politics.
His presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020 brought renewed attention to his childhood, education, early relationships and personal history.
Naturally, people also became curious about the woman he married before entering public office.
Yet Deborah’s story is not simply an introduction to Sanders’ political career.
Her early involvement in civil rights activism connects her to an important period in American history. Her years in Vermont also show how different her life was from the world of national politics.
The details of her second marriage, family and working life provide a fuller picture of what happened after her first marriage ended.
There is another reason her story deserves careful attention.
Public interest in well-known politicians often produces incorrect or incomplete information about their families. Deborah’s experience is a clear example, particularly because of the confusion surrounding the identity of Levi Sanders’ mother.
Reliable reporting has helped correct that misunderstanding.
Her life also shows that being connected to a famous person does not necessarily mean wanting the same level of public attention.
For decades, Deborah has been known mainly through her former husband’s biography, even though her own experiences extend well beyond their short marriage.
Conclusion
Deborah Shiling’s life includes much more than her brief marriage to Bernie Sanders. From her early involvement in civil rights activism to her years in Vermont, she experienced important personal and social changes during the 1960s.
Her marriage to Sanders ended in 1966, but she later remarried, raised a family and continued her working life away from national attention.
Although her name remains connected to one of America’s best-known politicians, Deborah has a history of her own. Her early activism, family life and years in Vermont are all part of that story.
Also read: Ramzi Habibi: The Man Behind a Finance Career and a Private Life With Masiela Lusha
(FAQs)
Who is Deborah Shiling?
Deborah Shiling is an American woman best known as Bernie Sanders’ first wife. She was involved in civil rights activities during her university years and later lived and worked in Vermont.
When did Deborah Shiling marry Bernie Sanders?
She married Bernie Sanders in September 1964 in Baltimore, Maryland. Their marriage lasted less than two years and ended in divorce in 1966.
Did Deborah Shiling have children with Bernie Sanders?
No, the couple did not have any children together. Sanders’ son, Levi Sanders, was born in 1969 to Susan Campbell Mott. Deborah later had a daughter with her second husband, Bob Messing.
Did Deborah Shiling marry again after her divorce?
Yes. She married Bob Messing in 1967. They later acquired Sanders’ remaining share of the Vermont property that Deborah and Sanders had previously purchased.
What did Deborah Shiling do for a living?
She worked as a wine and cheese buyer for a Vermont food co-operative. By 2015, she was retired and was reported to be volunteering with a local climate organisation.
Where is Deborah Shiling now?
Deborah has kept much of her later life private. In 2015, she was reported to be living in Montpelier, Vermont. There is limited verified public information about her current circumstances.
