Sue Clapper US Intelligence James Clapper’s Wife

Sue Clapper

Sue Clapper is the long time wife of  James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence. Her husband leads the United States Intelligence Community and serves as the principal intelligence advisor to the President.

Sue and James have been married for over 50 years and the couple shares two adult children together. Keep reading to know more interesting info about Sue Clapper.

First things first, we wouldn’t even be talking about Sue if it wasn’t for her husband.

Sue Clapper’s husband was born James Robert “Jim” Clapper Jr. on March 14, 1941 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His father, First Lieutenant James Robert Clapper, worked in signals intelligence during World War II. His mother was Anne Elizabeth Wheatley.

James Clapper attended University of Maryland where he gained a bachelor’s degree in government and politics. He also holds a master’s degree in political science from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, and an honorary doctorate in strategic intelligence from the then Joint Military Intelligence College.

James’ career began as a rifleman in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and culminated as a lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force and Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. His intelligence-related positions over his 32 years in uniform included Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence at U.S. Air Force Headquarters during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm and Director of Intelligence for three war-fighting commands: U.S. Forces Korea, Pacific Command, and Strategic Air Command.

Mr. Clapper served for over three years in two Administrations as the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.

Over his distinguished career he has been recipient of many awards, too many to tell here in fact but you can read all about it here.

Following his 1995 retirement, James Clapper worked in industry for six years as an executive in three successive companies.

He returned to the government in September 2001 as the first civilian director of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA). He served as Director for five years transforming it into the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).

He was sworn in as the fourth Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on August 9, 2010.

Last November Sue’s 75-year-old husband submitted his resignation as DNI and will stay on until the end of the Obama administration.

So what does it take to be the wife of a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General and the current National Intelligence Director you ask? For starters, not staying put and do nothing.

Sue Clapper is very active in the philanthropic community. She has served in the Companions for Heroes organization’s Board of Directors since 2011.

Sue who is a former NSA employee, has been married to James Clapper since 1965. She is the mother of the couple’s two children, daughter Jennifer Clapper and son, Andrew Clapper.

Sue Clapper began her career in the U.S. Intelligence Community at the National Security Agency. She is an avid supporter of active duty military, military veterans, law enforcement and first responders.

Her daughter Jennifer is a married to Jay Coakley (pictured above) and she works as principal of an elementary school in Fairfax County. Jay is a high school teacher.

Sue Clapper is the proud grandmother to Jennifer’s two children, Ryan and Erin Coakley.