Obituary of Edith I. Bonner

Edith I. Bonner Endicott: Edith I. Bonner, of Endicott, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, July 9, 2013. She joined many loved ones in heaven including her husband of almost 48 years, Gilbert B. Bonner; her infant daughter, Patricia A. Bonner; her brother, Henry Parkinson; her son-in-law, Thomas R. Pettigrew; and her granddaughter, Kelly A. Pettigrew. She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Vaughn; her brother and sister-in-law, Carl and Helen Parkinson; her children and daughters-in-law, Bruce and Julianne Bonner, Dorothy Bonner, Beverly Pettigrew, Chris Bonner, and Brian and Christine Bonner; her grandchildren, David Bonner, Jennifer and Eric Swegan, Rebekka Bonner, Eric and Jordan Meissner, Derek and Jessica Pettigrew, Trevor Pettigrew, Michael Bonner, Julianne Bonner, Lily Bonner, Matthew Bonner, and Jeffrey Bonner, her great-grandchildren, Reese Swegan and Grant Swegan; and her step-great-grandson, Jack Tinsley. Edith was a bright, outgoing, loving and caring person who devoted her life to her husband and family. She cherished and nurtured her friendships, new and old: some spanning over 60 years. She used the gifts and talents God blessed her with to show her love and compassion, not only for family and friends, but for many others. Edith was very active in ELOCA, once holding the position of Treasurer and volunteering in many different capacities, whether at the AMBA Blood Clinic, July 4th Chicken BBQ, the B.C. Open, Concerts in the Park, or the annual card party, where she worked tirelessly with her good friend on the first card party sponsored by the charitable group. She was an active member of the Monday Afternoon Club and the Endicott Women's Club as well. Her volunteer activities spanned many years and also included hospital aid as a Gray Lady, work at the I.B.M. Children's Club, and stints as a Cub Scout den mother and grade mother, where she was known to show up on Halloween with funny glasses complete with Groucho Marx eyebrows and a Jimmy Durante nose with requests from the students to bring more of "those yummy chocolate-covered marshmallow-topped brownies." She was an excellent cook and baker as well as an accomplished seamstress, often sewing look-alike clothes, not only for her daughters, but for their dolls as well. Edith enjoyed many extracurricular activities over the years from bowling and playing horseshoes in leagues to playing pinochle, Manipulation, and dominoes in many groups. She frequently hosted parties and get-togethers for her many friends and attended courses and events at SUNY Lyceum, the Broadway Theater League, the Forum, the Cider Mill Playhouse (where she often served as an usher), and many other venues. She loved traveling the world over and was very independent and energetic. She was a member of Central United Methodist, then Endwell United Methodist churches for many years, but in recent years enjoyed the spiritual nourishment at First Baptist Church in Johnson City as she was developing her personal relationship with Jesus Christ. She will be deeply missed by family and friends until their heavenly reunion. The family will receive friends at Coleman and Daniels Funeral Home in Endicott on Sunday, July 14, 2013, from 1 to 3 p.m. A funeral service will be held immediately afterward with Pastor Jim Murphy of First Baptist Church of Johnson City officiating. Interment will be at Woodlawn National Cemetery, Elmira, NY. Please consider memorial donations in Edith's memory to the American Heart Association and/or The Benevolence Committee of First Baptist Church of Johnson City.