Bonnie Marie Beckwith Stonebraker, 59

Bonnie Marie Beckwith Stonebraker, October 30, 1954 - March 9, 2014, was born in Great Barrington, Mass., to Paul Francis Beckwith and Caroline Rose Stevenson Beckwith. 

Bonnie's father, Paul, was a farmer who changed farm jobs whenever the owner sold out. They started in the Great Barrington area, but soon went to the South Shore near Boston. While there, Bonnie, her brother Tim and sister Cathy, got to visit the colony at Plymouth Plantation. During her freshman year of high school, the family moved back to the Great Barrington area, then almost immediately to Germantown, N.Y. As a child, Bonnie loved reading and learned to read at an early age. Her love of reading followed her throughout her life.

On Valentine's Day in 1972, while attending a donkey basketball game at the Germantown high school where she was a senior, Bonnie met Jean "Bill" William Stonebraker, a Petty Officer in the Navy. Bill was attending submarine school. During those six weeks a life long love quickly formed. On July 3, 1972, Bonnie married Bill in Gainesville, Ga. Their first home was in Charleston, S.C., where Bill was stationed.

In 1975, post-Navy, Bonnie and Bill bought their first home in Monterey, Mass. They then welcomed their son, Jean Paul, into their home in October 1975. Their daughter, Erin Leigh, was born in 1979. Six months later, the family moved to Wichita, Kan., as Bill began a career with Boeing. 

Bonnie loved being a stay-at-home mom and wife while the children were young, but when they reached school age, she began working outside the home, beginning her career at Boeing as a project manager. After 11 years in the Wichita area, Boeing transferred the family to the Seattle area, where Bonnie and Bill continued their Boeing careers for another 14 years.

Then, in 1993, Bill sensed a possible call to ministry, and just before Easter 1994, Bonnie affirmed that call. Bill started seminary in the fall of 1994, finishing in 2002. Erin's daughter, Alexandra "Nikki" Nicole Rossman came to live with Bonnie and Bill at the age of 7. In 2005, Bonnie and Bill left Boeing, and, with Nikki, moved to their first full time pastoral call in Cut Bank, Mont. In 2009, Faith Presbyterian Church in Hayden, Idaho, called them to their second pastorate.

One of Bonnie's biggest passions was raising Nikki. She poured her heart into ensuring that Nikki received all the love she needed and more. She loved youth, helping to lead youth groups in three churches over a nearly 20 year span. Bonnie also loved crafts—especially quilting. 

Bonnie was preceded in death by her father, Paul. She is survived by her husband, Bill; son, Paul; daughter, Erin; granddaughter, Nikki; mother, Caroline; siblings: Tim Beckwith, Cathy Beckwith LaFlamme, Luke Beckwith, and Jessie Beckwith Touponce; and grandchildren, Ben and PJ.

A celebration of Bonnie's life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 10, at Faith Presbyterian Church, 9485 N. Maple St., Hayden, Idaho. Bonnie much preferred to be remembered by a celebration, not a funeral, so the family asks that you dress casually and celebratory.

For those who prefer to donate to a charity in lieu of flowers, Bonnie would be honored by donations to the Kootenai Health Foundation's Cancer Patient Support Fund, earmarked for Lung Cancer. To make a donation, call (208) 625-4438 or visit www.KH.org/foundation.