Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa both died under tragic circumstances in February 2025, leaving their family grappling with shocked grief and disrupted funeral arrangements. The 95-year-old actor was found dead alongside his 65-year-old wife at their Santa Fe home on February 26, after they had not been seen for several days. Their deaths, occurring just days apart, have left family members coping with the sudden loss and uncertainty surrounding the plans for Hackman's funeral.
According to reports from the Daily Mail, Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome around February 11, 2025, before her husband passed away on February 18, 2025, due to heart disease, with advanced Alzheimer's disease noted as playing a significant role. The couple was discovered along with one of their dogs, prompting concern from the community.
Tim Hackman, Gene Hackman's nephew, shared the family's unexpected dilemma, stating their plans had anticipated Betsy handling Hackman’s arrangements, with the expectation—given their 30-year age difference—that he would outlive her. "So the preparedness of it was... [Betsy] had set up... to pay our condolences and everything,” he told the Daily Mail. The sudden change has forced the family to reassess how to move forward with grieving and planning the memorial.
After Betsy became Hackman's primary caretaker during his later years, especially as he suffered from Alzheimer's, her unexpected death has complicated matters. Tim articulated the family’s confusion and sense of loss: "Now with this, it significantly changes things... it’s still very, very early" for them to understand what to do next.
Search and rescue teams were dispatched after family and friends raised alarms over the couple's absence, leading to the grim findings of both bodies at their home. Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed at a recent press conference, "Yes, I would assume [Hackman] was at home alone]... for about a week after his wife’s death,” raising questions about whether he was aware of the situation due to his severe condition.
Dr. Jarrell, who oversaw the autopsy, noted the evident signs of advanced Alzheimer's disease and suggested Hackman may have been incapable of truly comprehending the gravity of what had occurred around him. Medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel supported this view, indicating Hackman's state likely left him unable to fully understand the loss of his wife.
Now, the task of planning the funeral appears to fall to Hackman's three children from his first marriage: Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne, who will have to navigate their father's funeral arrangements amid the double tragedy. While the actor built his consequential career for over 40 years, he frequently missed family time, devoting much of his youth to filming and subsequent acclaim.
Gene Hackman initially married Faye Maltese, with whom he had three children, but they divorced after 30 years of marriage in 1986. Years later, he found love with Betsy Arakawa, marrying her in 1991 after dating for seven years. They became known for their shared commitment to each other and even highlighted their life together through media features, one being their home showcased in Architectural Digest back in 1990.
Retiring from acting in 2004, Hackman left behind a rich legacy, having garnered two Academy Awards and starred in many notable films, including "The French Connection", "Unforgiven", and his role as Lex Luthor from the original Superman series. His influence on the film industry earned him respect and admiration, with colleagues speaking about his talent. Clint Eastwood remarked on Hackman's ability to deliver performances with "never a false note", and director Francis Ford Coppola praised him as "a great actor" with significant depth.
The unfortunate circumstances surrounding their deaths have left the family grappling with both emotional and logistical upheaval as they face the task of planning memorial services. With the community remembering Hackman for his cinematic contributions, the family must lay to rest both Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, marking the end of not only their lives but also the legacy of one of Hollywood's most storied figures.