Bonnie Louise Ryan Newman passed away peacefully while surrounded by her loving family on Monday, September 7, 2015.
A brilliant educator, Bonnie taught in the public school system for over 40 years, both in California and Salt Lake City, Utah. She taught elementary and junior high school and served for eight years as a principal for Hillsdale and Academy Park Elementary schools. She was known for her inspirational leadership, innovative teaching techniques, proven organizational skills, and her great capacity to train other educators.
A miner’s daughter, Bonnie was born in Eureka, Utah on July 7, 1931. Growing up around mining, she developed a strong work ethic at an early age. She excelled at Tintic High School, and later at the University of Utah, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Education Administration.
She was talented musically and played clarinet in the University’s marching band. It was in the band that she met a red-headed clarinetist, Maury Thomas Newman, who became her husband on March 7, 1953. Upon graduation, the newlyweds moved to Bakersfield, California, where they both took up teaching positions. The couple and their children were sealed as an eternal family in the Los Angeles Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1957.
Bonnie was gifted with a beautiful soprano singing voice and starred in numerous stage plays in Bakersfield, and Salt Lake City. She was a member of the Holladay 24th Ward choir and Holladay North Stake choir for four decades.
Next to her family, her greatest love was animals. There were always dogs, cats, bunnies, and other critters around her house. Bonnie had a special connection to four-legged creatures, and she often said she loved to associate with “animals and well-behaved children, in that order.”
Among her many talents, Bonnie was able to successfully balance fulltime work, Church service, and keeping a household running smoothly. She was an accomplished cook, baker, seamstress, homemaker, gardener and attentive wife, mother, grand and great grandmother. She thrilled at making Christmastime memorable for everyone with her famous cinnamon rolls, pies, and elaborate decorations.
She is survived by her husband, Maury, her three children, Scott Newman (Pam), Kirk Newman (Julie), Nancy Ayers (Andrew), 34 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren, her sister Shanna Kokal (Tom), and brother, Barton Ryan (Linda).
A viewing will be held at the Holladay-Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 S Highland Drive on Friday, September 11, 2015 from 6:00-8:00 PM. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 12, 2015 in the Holladay 24th Ward, 4395 Albright Drive with a viewing beforehand at 10:00 AM. Interment at Riverton City Cemetery. To share a memory with the family please visit www.holladaycottonwoodmortuary.com