Tavia Shackles Hunt is a 52-year-old fashion and sports enthusiast who first came to the limelight as a beauty queen, Miss Kansas, and the runner-up of Miss USA (1993). She was also named Miss Lee’s Summit and Miss Missouri Teen USA in 1990. Shackles is also primarily known for being Clark Hunt’s wife for over 3 decades.
Her husband, Clark Hunt is a well-known businessman, part owner, chairman, and CEO of the National Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs. He is also a founding investor owner in Major League Soccer. He is also a two-time Super Bowl champion (LIV, LVII) and the son of Norma and Lamar Hunt.
Interestingly, Tavia has over the years been significant to the Chiefs as she became a Director of the Chiefs Women’s Organization.
Early Life, Family, and Educational Background of Clark Hunt’s Wife
The sports queen was born Tavia Michelle Shackles on 1 August 1971 in Lee Summit, Missouri, and was also raised in the same town. She was born to David and Ramona Lakin Shackles.
She has kept details of her family under wraps but according to Richatheletes.com, she was raised in a Christian family and her grandfather was a non-denominational pastor. He guarded her through the religion that she would later get deeply rooted in and also speaks highly of her faith.
Growing up, she attended Lee Summit High School in Show-Me State and graduated in 1989.
She later went to the University of Missouri where she obtained a degree in Political Science.
Tavia led most of her early life away from fame but she sure started her walk into stardom as a young girl. This first led her to be crowned Miss Lee Summit.
How She Became Miss Missouri at 19 and Later Became the First Runner-Up at Miss USA
There was more Tavia had to give to the pageantry world and she knew it. Thus, after becoming Miss Lee Summit, she exposed herself further and was crowned Miss Missouri Teen USA in 1990 when she was 19.
She also competed and reached the top 12 at the Miss Teen USA pageant.
Regardless, Mrs. Hunt continued with her journey, and in 1993, she was crowned Miss Kansas.
The same year at the 42nd Miss USA pageant, she headed to compete for the crown of Miss USA and finished second. The crown went to the second Black woman in history to win Miss USA, Kenya Moore who was at the time representing Michigan.
Tavia Shackles is Active in Chiefs’ Affairs
Clark Hunt’s wife has been active in many affairs of the NFL club, Kansas City Chiefs which her husband presides as a part owner, chairman, and CEO.
She shows up at different events concerning the team and is also known for her fashion sense while at it.
Furthermore, Tavia has served as the Director of the Chiefs Women’s Organization and is also in charge of the team’s cheerleading squad. Again, in 2018, she hosted the annual Chiefs-style lounge.
The mother of three has spoken highly of football, partly due to her being a fan and member of the Chiefs. According to her, her life is somewhat centered on family, football, and faith.
Away from her life with the Chief, Tavia is also into philanthropy. She has contributed to humanity in many ways. One of the things she supports is the fight against cancer. This has been influenced by the fact that her mother had cancer and beat it. Again, her father-in-law, Lamar Hunt suffered prostate cancer and died on December 13, 2006.
How Tavia Shackles Met and Married Her Husband, Clark Hunt
It was in 1991 when Tavia was still and college and serving as an intern in the PR department of the Chiefs organization when she met Clark Hunt.
In an interview, she revealed that:
after the first kickoff luncheon at the end of the summer, we came back to kick off the season. At the end of that event, this nice guy came up named Clark and started talking to me, and we had a great conversation and had so much in common, we learned.
She further stated that he asked if she would go for dinner and she responded affirmatively. Although he was a notable family at the time, Tavia had no idea about who he was.
At the time, Tavia was 19 while Hunt was 25.
Only 6 weeks after they started dating, Hunt gave her a postcard he received from his grandmother and has been committed to their relationship and family ever since.
The Couple Were Married in 1993 and are Parents of 3 Children
In October 1993, Tavia and Clark Hunt married. In their union, the couple has welcomed 3 children – 2 daughters and a son. Meet all of them.
Gracie Hunt is Tavia’s First Child and a Former Miss Kansas
Their first child, a daughter named Gracelyn “Gracie” Hunt on March 29, 1999. She is 24 years old and has followed in her mother’s footsteps as she became the Miss Kansas in 2021 and contested at the Miss USA of the same year. At the Miss USA, she finished as a semi-finalist.
Besides pageantry, Gracie is also a spokesmodel. She also obtained certificates in nutrition and training and has helped people in health and fitness. Gracie is again a sports enthusiast and like her parents, she is a practicing Christian and describes herself as the “daughter of the King of Kings”.
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Their Second Child, Knobel is an Athlete and was Named After Clark’s Mother
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Tavia and Clark Hunt’s second child is a son named Knobel Hunt, after Clark’s mother, Norma Knobel Hunt. He was born on July 15 2022 and is 21 years old.
He attended St. Mark’s and at the time of this writing, he is attending Southern Methodist University where he is a Finance Major and Student-Athlete.
Knobel is an athlete. He plays American football and soccer. As a soccer player, plays for the Southern Methodist University team. He went on to become the captain of the team.
Before then, he played high school soccer and FC Dalla Premier. In his career, he has won numerous titles. In the 2021-2022 season, he won the AAC All-Academic. He also led his high school team to a 2020 State Championship as well as regional and national championships while with FC Dallas.
Tavia’s Last Child, Ava Hunt was also a Beauty Queen
Ava Hunt is the last and third child of Tavia and Clark Hunt. Like her mother and older sister, she has also been involved in pageantry. In 2018, she was crowned Miss Pre-Teen International. She later became Miss Lone Star’s Teen.
Apart from that, the youngest Hunt is a gymnast and dancer.
