Death of Robert Hanssen's Spouse

Bonnie Hanssen Obituary: Death of Robert Hanssen’s Spouse:- Bonnie Hanssen, who was married for 34 years to Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent who spied for Russia and betrayed some of the nation’s most closely guarded secrets, died on May 28 at her home in Virginia. She was 77.

Her death was confirmed by her son David Hanssen, who said she had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for several years.

Bonnie Hanssen’s Life of Faith and Devotion

Bonnie Hanssen was born on June 2, 1945, in Chicago, the daughter of William and Helen (O’Connor) Wauck. She grew up in a devout Catholic family and attended Catholic schools.

She met Robert Hanssen in 1965 at a dance at Loyola University Chicago, where he was studying dentistry. They married in 1968 and moved to Indiana, where he switched to accounting and later joined the Chicago Police Department.

They had six children and raised them in a strict Catholic household. They were members of Opus Dei, a conservative branch of the Catholic Church that emphasizes personal holiness and discipline.

Bonnie Hanssen was a devoted wife and mother who supported her husband’s career as he rose through the ranks of the FBI, working on counterintelligence and counterterrorism cases. She was unaware of his double life as a spy for Moscow, which he began in 1979 and continued until his arrest in 2001.

A Shocking Betrayal of Robert Hanssen

Robert Hanssen’s espionage was one of the most damaging in U.S. history. He sold thousands of pages of classified documents and information to the Soviet Union and later Russia, exposing dozens of U.S. agents and sources, some of whom were executed. He also revealed the existence of a secret tunnel under the Soviet embassy in Washington and compromised U.S. nuclear war plans.

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He received more than $1.4 million in cash and diamonds from his handlers, which he hid in various locations. He also led a secret sexual life, filming himself and his wife having sex and sending the tapes to a friend who shared them with others.

He was arrested on Feb. 18, 2001, after he dropped off a package of documents at a park in Virginia for his Russian contacts. He pleaded guilty to espionage and conspiracy charges and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Bonnie Hanssen was shocked and devastated by her husband’s betrayal. She cooperated with the authorities and testified before a congressional committee about his activities. She also filed for divorce and received a settlement from the government that allowed her to keep their home and some assets.

She remained faithful to her Catholic beliefs and forgave her husband for his crimes. She visited him occasionally in prison until his health deteriorated. Robert Hanssen died on June 5, 2023, at the age of 79.

Bonnie Hanssen Obituary: A Legacy of Love and Resilience

Bonnie Hanssen is survived by her six children: David, Paul, Michael, John, Theresa, and Mary; 14 grandchildren; and two sisters: Mary Wauck and Anne Wauck.

She was remembered by her family and friends as a loving and resilient woman who endured unimaginable pain and loss with grace and dignity.

She also inspired others who faced similar challenges. She wrote a foreword to a book by Ruth Coleman, whose husband Earl Edwin Pitts was also an FBI agent who spied for Russia. She also appeared in a documentary film called “The Spy’s Wife”, which explored the impact of espionage on the spouses of spies.

She said in the film that she hoped her story would help others who suffered from betrayal and deception.

“I think God can bring good out of anything,” she said. “And I think he has brought good out of this.”

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