James B. ‘Jim’ Bonner, 90, Town of Dover, died Feb. 5, 2015, peacefully with family by his side at Memorial Hospital of Burlington.
He was born on Oct. 31, 1924, in Millburn, Ill., to the late Robert and Grace (Beaumont) Bonner. He attended Millburn Graded School. His family then relocated to the Town of Dover farm where he had lived ever since. He was a graduate of the Rochester Ag School.
On Nov. 13, 1948, he married Thelma Clark at Millburn Congregational Church. They raised five children on their dairy farm. Jim was one of the longest standing members of the Rochester Congregational Church of which he joined in 1939. He served as trustee and helped with many committees within his church family. He was a Dairy 4-H leader for the Town of Dover, a past member of the Union Grove Co-op Board and Sunnyside School Board. After dispersing his dairy herd Jim spent much of his time focused on his parent’s passion of caning and repairing caned chairs. He also enjoyed his raspberry patch and spending time in his garden. Most of all, he loved spending time with family and friends.
Survivors include his loving wife; children, Barbara Bonner, Romeoville, Ill., Donald (Gigi Van Acker), Betty (Jeff) Bratz, Dover, Richard ‘Dick’ (Jill) Bonner, Burlington, Patricia (Bill) Ehlen, Lyons; grandchildren, Rachel (Jeff) Engen, Matthew (Johni) Brown, Laura (Brian) Spence, Kyle (Sam Donegan) Bonner, Jamie (John) Vaccara, Tim (Ashley) Bratz, Ryan (Piper) Bratz, Mark (Megan Vosberg) Bratz, Bryan (Mollie) West, Kelsey and Kate Bonner, Elizabeth (fiancé Mike Schmidt), Breanna, Chad, Will (Elli Arnouts) and Noah (Natalie Duke) Ehlen; great-grandchildren, Kyelar, Austin, Abigail, Jaxon, Madison, Jillian, Jenna and Hayden; one godchild, Juliette Roy; his sister-in-law, Lucille Engh; brothers-in-law, John (JoAnn), Glen (Judy), Robert Clark; and nieces; nephews; cousins; other relatives and friends.
He was further preceded in death by his infant son, Charles E.; brother, George (Carole); sisters-in-law, Anne Clark, Bernice (Walter) Fontaine and Juanita (Ray) Houser; and brother-in-law, Clayton Engh.
Memorial services will be held at First Congregational Church of Rochester on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 2 p.m. A memorial gathering and visitation will be held prior to services in church from 1-2 p.m. Mealy Funeral Home, Waterford, is serving the family.
In lieu of floral expressions of sympathy, the family suggests memorials be made to either First Congregational Church of Rochester or Aurora VNA Hospice.
A special Thank You from Jim’s family to the doctors, nurses and staff at Aurora VNA Hospice for their loving care of Jim.
Well-wishers can visit www.mealyfuneralhome.com.
-
-
-
-
-