I love Bonnie. She was my grandmom, my dad’s mom. I got to know her after Michael died. After that I travelled to meet her (and everybody else) every summer and we had a blast. During the 90’s she took me to all the amusement parks and rode all the roller coasters with me. As I got older she told me a lot of her crazy stories about the Hollywood life she lived in SoCal. She really enjoyd that life you could tell how she always lit up while telling her stories. That is what Im missing most about her, the long convos alone with her at her condo or during our car journeys.
She loved a good steak. She loved it really rare. But warm. Once when we drove from LA to Reno with a really early start. We left so early we ate breakfast as our first stop. We drove through the farmland and all of a sudden she says we are going to a steakhouse for breakfast. It was somewhere close to Bakersfield. We stopped and had a steak and eggs breakfast. One of the best Ive ever had. Anyway this Restaurant stuck to my mind as it was the only time the steak was too raw and COLD for Bonnie’s taste and she sent it back so they could grill it warm. We had a good chuckle about it as she always ordered her steaks as rare as possible.
I also remember all the times when we would be yapping at each other about where to turn when were going somewhere. I have a great sense of direction and those who knew her well, well know that she didnt. She would always say she knew where she was going and as I realized she didnt, she got all feisty about. Then we would get lost or as I once said we just dont temporarily know where we are at the moment. I remember saying it once but even with her bad memory, she remembered that one always. Anyways, we always found where we wanted to go as a Team.
I miss her but Im glad I have a load of memories about her.

Missing you mom, especially thought about you on Mother's Day. I know you would have enjoyed going to lunch, playing with Cleo, and talking about Grandma. Love you, Ruth Ann

I did not really know Bonnie very well until she moved to Northern California and then Nevada. Since we were then able to visit her frequently, I became aware of Bonnie’s funny, witty personality and of her intellect. She loved reading and learning new things which made her a great conversationalist. Of all her wonderful qualities the one I admire most was her ability to handle tragedy with grace. The loss of a child, the loss of short term memory would “break” most people. I never saw or heard any indication of self pity. In fact, Bonnie would often laugh at herself about the memory problems. 
Bonnie, you are my role model for aging with grace, dignity and humor. We will miss you.

To those reading this who don’t know me, I am Bonnie’s younger brother Bob. Our birthdates are 350 days apart (351 on leap years). I had a few short years when we were younger that I could say for 15 days. “I am as old as you”. She had a whole lot more years to say “you are as old as I am” for those 15 days.
To say that we had an unusual childhood would be an understatement. We spent a good deal of our childhood years apart since one or the other of us would spend summers at our aunt Mae English’s (we called her Mama Mae) farm, and then she spent some time in a Tuberculosis Sanitorium in Keene CA. She really did not have TB, but the doctors thought that she might. We lived all over the southern San Juaquin Valley, but mostly in Wasco. In 1946 our parents moved us to Colombia where oud Dad worked for Texaco Oil Co. That only lasted for a year or so (another story for another time), and we moved back to East Bakersfield. Then our parents pulled up stakes again and moved to Egypt. Bonnie and I could not go there so we stayed. Bonnie got married and finished High School (in that order). I finished High School and started college, and we did not see much of one another. Then she moved to Venezuela, and we did not see one another at all for several years. We were thankfully able to see one another more in later years.
As for favorite stories, I have told this one to family and friends many times, but I will relate it again for those who may not have heard it:
Bonnie and I were about 7 or 8 and we were living in Bakersfield where our Dad worked for Superior Oil Co. Our Dad was on the phone talking to Bill Keck, the owner or Superior and something had gone horribly wrong (I have no idea what). Daddy was just saying “Yes Sir Mr. Keck, Yes Sir Mr. Keck, Yes Sir Mr. Keck” and Bonnie and I started mimicking him. To say the least Daddy was upset at us. After he got off the phone, he picked up a wooden clothes hanger and whacked Bonnie across the bottom, breaking the hanger. It made a lot of racket and Bonnie was crying even though she was not really hurt. Daddy was so horrified at what he had done he let me off completely. Our Dad had a lot of faults, but violence was not one of them. I don’t think Bonnie ever forgave me for getting off completely, although she did later admit it was pretty funny.

Bonnie and I had many good laughs together.She liked giving waiters and waitresses a hard time.One fellow at Red Robin told Bonnie if she was 50yrs. younger he would wrap her up and take her home.She said I would take you home now then probably wonder what to do with such a handsome young fellow.Bonnie loved getting her hair cut by Devlin but disliked getting her toenails cut by the podiatrist.She had a great sense of humor.Cleocatra and l got along fine Cleo was not a purring princess but she was great company.l picked up a few of Bonnie,s habits.l never leave a tip on my card.l always make sure our server gets the cash.Bonnie told me this suggestion was from Ruthanne who waitressed in her college days.I miss her very much.Bonnie made my life better.Through her mI traveled to South America learned about oil rigging and heard how Bonnie,s grandma dealt with severe arthritis back in the day.I will always hear Bonnie's laugh.We will meet again in the afterlife.Enjoy your peace.

I so enjoyed my time spent with Bonnie. We had great lunches, both of us favoring the fish and chips at Silver Peak. Bonnie loved to see the trees turning colors in the fall, loved her cat Cleo, enjoyed spending time with my dog Lottie. She had been so artistic, using bits of bone and feathers, rocks and shells found on her walks to make stunning creations. Ruth Ann commissioned one for my birthday many years ago, and I treasure it still. 
Remembering Bonnie fondly ~ all is well