Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Gretchen Renee Hillmer Bonaduce |
| Birthdate | September 24, 1965 |
| Birthplace | Waukegan, Illinois, USA |
| Age | 59 (as of September 2025) |
| Occupations | Entrepreneur, musician, author, former reality TV personality, producer |
| Known For | Ex-wife of actor/radio host Danny Bonaduce; VH1’s Breaking Bonaduce; memoir Surviving Agent Orange |
| Current Residence | Bisbee, Arizona, USA |
| Education | College attendance noted (details private) |
| Music | Lead singer of 1980s/new wave cover band The Fatal 80s |
| Business | Owner of Greenway Manor, a music-themed B&B in Bisbee |
| Books | Surviving Agent Orange (2018) |
| TV/Production | Executive producer and on-screen presence on Breaking Bonaduce (2005–2006) |
| Political Activity | Candidate for mayor of Bisbee in 2024 (unsuccessful) |
| Children | Isabella (b. 1994) and Dante (b. 2001) |
Early Life and Roots
Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce was born in Waukegan, Illinois, on September 24, 1965, into a family often on the move. Her father’s career as a nuclear engineer meant the Hillmers chased opportunity across the Midwest until 1978, when they settled in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee. The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Sequoyah Nuclear Plant became her father’s professional anchor and her adolescent backdrop, a place where she learned to adapt, to read a room, and to reset when life changed the station.
She has kept details about her mother and possible siblings private, an intentional veil over a steady Midwestern home life that she says grounded her through later turbulence. That combination—blue-collar discipline, geographic whiplash, and a hunger for stage lights—would shape everything that followed.
Marriage, Motherhood, and Family Dynamics
The spark with Danny Bonaduce arrived like a lightning strike: a blind date in Chicago in November 1990, a same-day Vegas elopement, and a 17-year marriage lived at full volume. The marriage was passionate and public, shaded by Danny’s battles with addiction and fame’s glare, ultimately ending in a divorce filing in April 2007 and finalization in November 2008.
Two children became the story’s heart. Isabella, born November 23, 1994, in Los Angeles, dabbled in acting and creative work while keeping a low profile as an adult; her mother describes her as fiercely independent. Dante, born on February 14, 2001, carries a poetic middle name and an easy charisma, surfacing occasionally for family celebrations and creative pursuits. The exes share joint custody and a cooperative, post-divorce co-parenting rhythm. Gretchen’s identity, beyond the tabloid churn, has long orbited motherhood.
Producer and Performer: Building a Career in Public
Gretchen moved from supportive spouse to creative partner in the mid-2000s. On VH1’s Breaking Bonaduce (2005–2006), she was both subject and executive producer, navigating the series’ raw confessional style as the couple’s struggles unfolded onscreen. The show drew large audiences—peaking around the million-plus range—and earned chatter for its unflinching look at addiction, marriage, and recovery.
Music, however, is where Gretchen planted a more enduring flag. Formed in the 2010s, The Fatal 80s became her outlet and stage, a punk-tinged celebration of the new wave canon that has toured clubs and festivals from Los Angeles to southern Arizona. Her voice carries the grain of lived experience—smoked velvet over synth lines and guitar shimmer.
The 2018 memoir, Surviving Agent Orange (And Other Things I’ve Learned from Being Thrown Under the Partridge Family Bus), distilled the lessons and scars from decades in the public eye. It mixed candor with gallows humor and earned honors for its sharp, unsentimental prose. Writing, like music, became a way to take control of the narrative.
The Bisbee Chapter: Greenway Manor and Civic Life
By around 2016, Gretchen shifted her center of gravity from Los Angeles to Bisbee, Arizona, a high-desert town with a mining past and an artsy present. She purchased a 1900s Victorian and transformed it into Greenway Manor, a boutique, music-themed bed-and-breakfast with rooms that nod to rock royalty. It’s part homage, part enterprise—hospitality with guitar picks on the nightstand.
The inn’s role in local tourism dovetailed with Gretchen’s civic instincts. In 2024, she ran for mayor of Bisbee on a platform of smart tourism, creative economy growth, and community partnerships. She lost to incumbent Ken Budge, but the campaign sharpened her local profile and reinforced her commitment to the town’s quirky, collaborative spirit.
Finances and Ventures
There are no public financial disclosures for Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce, but her income appears to flow from several streams: reality TV residuals, music performances, memoir royalties, and hospitality revenue from Greenway Manor. Industry analogs suggest a stable lifestyle in the mid-six figures, with an estimated net worth in the $500,000–$2 million range. A 2024 sale of a Los Angeles property reportedly added capital for ongoing Bisbee expansions. It’s a portfolio as diversified as her resume—art, commerce, and community under one roof.
Timeline at a Glance
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1965 | Born in Waukegan, Illinois (September 24). |
| 1978 | Family moves to Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee; father joins TVA’s Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. |
| 1990 | Meets Danny Bonaduce in November; marries the same day in Las Vegas. |
| 1993 | Appears in America’s Deadliest Home Video. |
| 1994 | Daughter Isabella is born (November 23). |
| 2001 | Son Dante is born (February 14). |
| 2005–2006 | Breaking Bonaduce airs for two seasons; Gretchen serves as executive producer and on-screen principal. |
| 2007–2008 | Files for divorce (April 2007); finalized November 2008 with joint custody arrangements. |
| ~2014 | Forms The Fatal 80s, focusing on 1980s/new wave classics. |
| ~2016 | Moves to Bisbee, Arizona, acquires and reimagines Greenway Manor. |
| 2018 | Publishes Surviving Agent Orange. |
| 2024 | Runs for mayor of Bisbee; race unsuccessful. |
| 2025 | Continues performing, running Greenway Manor, and engaging in local arts initiatives. |
Family Snapshot
| Relation | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Name undisclosed | Nuclear engineer; career prompted family relocations; associated with TVA’s Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. |
| Mother | Name undisclosed | Maintains privacy; credited by Gretchen with instilling Midwestern values. |
| Ex-Spouse | Danny Bonaduce (b. 1959) | Actor and radio host; married 1990, divorced finalized 2008; cooperative co-parenting post-divorce. |
| Daughter | Isabella Bonaduce (b. 1994) | Creative pursuits in acting and fashion; low public profile as an adult. |
| Son | Dante Bonaduce (b. 2001) | Occasional performer; maintains a private life with periodic family appearances. |
Recent Activity (2024–2025)
The past two years have underscored Gretchen’s pivot from national spotlight to local leadership and creative consistency. The 2024 mayoral campaign elevated conversations about tourism and arts-driven development in Bisbee. Greenway Manor continues to attract visitors with themed rooms and community events. On stage, The Fatal 80s keep the neon era alive, bringing a dance-floor jolt to clubs and festivals. Social channels highlight family milestones, band dates, and the daily alchemy of running an inn. The public dramas have quieted; the work endures.
FAQ
Who is Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce?
She is an entrepreneur, musician, author, and former reality TV personality known for VH1’s Breaking Bonaduce and her memoir Surviving Agent Orange.
Where was she born and where does she live now?
She was born in Waukegan, Illinois, and currently lives in Bisbee, Arizona.
How did she meet Danny Bonaduce?
They met on a blind date in Chicago in November 1990 and married the same day in Las Vegas.
When did they divorce?
She filed in April 2007, and the divorce was finalized in November 2008 with joint custody of their children.
Who are her children?
Isabella (born 1994) and Dante (born 2001), both of whom maintain relatively private lives as adults.
What is The Fatal 80s?
It’s Gretchen’s 1980s/new wave cover band known for energetic, punk-tinged performances.
What is Greenway Manor?
A music-themed bed-and-breakfast in Bisbee owned and operated by Gretchen, featuring rooms inspired by iconic artists.
Did she run for mayor?
Yes, she ran for mayor of Bisbee in 2024 on a tourism-and-arts platform but did not win.
What is her book about?
Surviving Agent Orange is a candid memoir about marriage, fame, addiction, and rebuilding a life with humor and grit.
What’s known about her finances?
There are no public filings; based on her ventures, estimates place her net worth in the mid-six-figure to low-seven-figure range.
