Richard

Lee Bonner

Dec. 30, 1934 – Sept. 15, 2004

Richard Lee Bonner of Long Barn died unexpectedly Wednesday at a Sonora hospital after a short illness. He was 69.

He was born in Taos, N.M., to Heard Bonner and Irene (Williams) Bonner. He moved with his family to Richmond when he was 7 years old. There he attended school and graduated from Richmond Union High School in 1953. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1953-57 and was stationed in Roswell, N.M.

He married Glenda (Ourso) Bonner in December 1955. They moved to the Bay Area with their oldest daughter after his discharge from the Air Force where they became parents of another daughter and two sons. They moved with their family to Fairfield in 1973. He began, along with his father and brothers, building a cabin in Odd Fellows Sierra Park, between Sierra Village and Long Barn, in 1957. He and his wife made this their permanent home in 1990 after he retired from the Teamsters Union in 1987.

He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings, including Bishop of the Fairfield 4th Ward from 1979-89 and as High Priests Group Leader in the Sonora 2nd Ward. He became a member of the board of the Odd Fellows Sierra Park Home Owners Association in 1996 and served as treasurer from May 1997 until May 2004.

He loved playing golf and was a regular at the Twain Harte Golf Course, his family said. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his family added, and he was a devoted caregiver to his wife the past five years.

Mr. Bonner is survived by his wife of 48 years, Glenda (Ourso) Bonner of Odd Fellows Sierra Park; mother, Irene (Williams) Bonner of Saratoga, Santa Clara County; brothers, Delbert Bonner of Springfield, Mo., and Clyde Bonner of Pioneer, Amador County; daughters and son-in-law, Debra Sharpe and her fiance, Jimmy Girardot, of Vacaville and Cathy and Tracy Bowman of Sonora; sons and daughters-in-law, Christopher and Sharon Bonner of Turlock and Kevin and Eliza Bonner of Rio Vista, Solano County; grandchildren, Brandon Melton of Florida, Renee San Miguel of Sacramento, Ty Bowman of Copperopolis, Chad Bowman of Utah, Tracie Johnson of Newark, Alameda County, Audra Bowman of Sonora, Matthew Bonner of Utah, Benjamin, Kimberlee and Hannah Bonner, all of Turlock and Quinn, EssieJane, Raymon, Irene and Hite Bonner, all of Rio Vista; great-grandchildren, Kayla and Korrina Melton of Florida, Marissa Jennings and Kyle San Miguel, both of Sacramento, Manuel and Ryan Bowman, both of Copperopolis, Darrion and Paulina Hargrove-Silva and Tyffton and Triston Bowman, all of Utah, and Savannah and Ethan Johnson of Newark; and his cat, Tiger.

He was preceded in death by his father, Heard Bonner, in April 1990.

Visitation is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 19481 Hillsdale Drive in Sonora. A funeral service is scheduled for and will immediately follow at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church.

Terzich and Wilson Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

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