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10:00 amGood Shepherd Chapel open to receive service attendees
11:00 amFuneral Mass for Rolla M. Bonner
Procession of the casket, family and clergy(Music - “His Eye Is On The Sparrow’)
Introductory Rites
Liturgy of the Word- First Reading - Kristy Bonner- Responsorial Psalm- Second Reading - LaKisha Henderson- Gospel Reading - Father Fausto Kaverenge- Homily - Rev. Mr. George H. Foster- Speakers - Kathleen Redmond
Karren Herrington
Liturgy of the Eucharist- Offeratory by grandchildren Rianne Bonner, Zachary Clare, Nicholas Henderson and Malik Howard
(Music - “On Eagle’s Wings’)- Communion Rite (Music - “I am The Bread of Life’)- Meditation (Music - “Prayer of St. Francis’’ i.e., “Make Me
a Channel of Your Peace’)
Words from the Family - Myra Howard
Concluding Rite - Clergy
Recession of casket, family and clergy (Music - “Precious Lord”)
12:30 pmGraveside Blessing and IntermentMt. Olive Memorial Gardens3666 Deans Bridge Road - Augusta, Georgia
12:30 pm - 3:00 pmRepast immediately following the service Victoria Room of Gordon Club - Fort Gordon, Georgia
. . ♦ Service Participants . . .Clergy: Rev. Mr. George H. Foster, Father Fausto
Kaverenge, Father Thomas Leland and Retired Chaplain Bill Peterson
Music: Alvin Blount, Music Director - St. Mary’s Parish
Michael Bonner Zachary Clare Eugene Wilson
Peter Clare Pruitt “J.R.” Henderson, Jr.
Patrick Summers
Her Journey
Don’t think o f her as gone away, Her journey’s just begun. Life holds so many facets, This earth is only one.
Just think o f her as resting from the sorrow and the tears In a place o f warmth and comfort
Where there are no days and years.Think how she must be wishing, that we could know today
How nothing but our sadness, can really pass away. And think o f her as living in the Hearts o f those she touched,
For nothing loved is ever lost, and she was loved so much.
The family wishes to extend their deepest appreciation for all the acts of kindness during the passing of our beloved Mom and Nana.
Services Entrusted To
WiCCiams TuneraC Home, Inc.2945 Old Tobacco Road - Hephzibah, Georgia
Monday, May 7, 200711:00 a.m.
Q ood S h e p h e r d C h a p e l
St . M ic h a e l ’s P a r is h
Barnes Avenue - Ft. Gordon, Georgia
St. Michael’s Parish ~ Officiating
Rolla M de Wilson was born on November 7, 1936, in Sentinel, Oklahoma, to Roland W ilson and N ettie Mae Young Wilson. She was raised in Deming, New M exico and Enid, Oklahoma, where she graduated salutatorian of Booker T. Washington Senior High School.
In 1953, she married Finnell Bonner, who served in the U S Army for over thirty years. Ms. Bonner quite ably moved her family to and from cities around the United States, G ermany and Japan. Everywhere they moved, she instantly turned each house into a loving home for her family. Mrs. Bonner, her husband and six children finally settled in A u gusta, Georgia, in 1969, where the Bonners then gave birth to two additional children. Mrs. Bonner raised her family in Augusta and lived in the area for over 38 years. Three of her children attended Hephzibah High School: Marsha (1972), Nicky (1973) and M ichael (1975). The latter five children attended A quinas High School (A H S ): Mark (1982), Myra (1983), Karla (1986), Michelle (1988), and Kristy (1990). Upon Kristy’s graduation, Mrs. Bonner was acknowledged by A H S for her dedicated service to the school. A t her children’s elementary schools she served as “Room Mother” for many of her children’s homerooms, PTA member, and a regular volunteer. A t Gracewood Elementary School, where her five youngest attended, she annually volunteered at the Fall Festival, where she was in charge of the cotton candy machine for several years.
Mrs. Bonner, who practiced the Catholic faith, was a devoted member of St. M ichael the A rchangel C atholic Church for nearly four decades, where she served as a Lay Eucharistic Minister. She also volunteered for other church activities, including the annual Troops Encounter Christ (TEC) Retreat, where she was known as the “Chili Lady” for the chili she cooked for the troops. A senior member of the
parish, she amassed many close church friends over the years, and traveled with them to the Vatican in 2003 to see Pope John Paul II.
During the past 30 years, Mrs. Bonner was a supervisor and senior tax preparer for H & R Block, primarily at the Wrightsboro Road branch. She had loyal clients who would drive from cities far away, or even send their tax information from around the country and world for Mrs. Rolla Bonner - and no one else - to annually complete their taxes. She was known for bringing great caramel cake and other homemade treats to work for co-workers every April 15.
In addition to her voracious love of reading, landscaping and cooking, she was addicted to bingo, playing weekly at various locations in the city, where she had good times with good friends. She was also a sports fanatic, the biggest Tiger Woods fan in the world (with Tiger paraphernalia throughout her home), and supported the A tlanta Braves, even during their worst seasons.
Mrs. Bonner was intensely devoted to her children and grandchildren, and loved all of them unconditionally. She especially loved organizing family gatherings and vacations, as sustaining family traditions and creating lasting memories for her family were of utmost importance to her. She was a fabulous cook and baker, and she had an eye for decorating, especially during Christmas time and holidays throughout the year. She loved to travel, having lived in and visited dozens of cities in the U S, Europe and Asia. A n avid spoon collector, she amassed a collection from over 60 locations from around the world, from her own travels and those of her children. Those who knew her well also knew of her love of refrigerator magnets and pictures of family and friends in frames and collages throughout her home. It was all about her remembering good times with the ones she loved every minute of every day.
Rolla Bonner possessed impeccable class, style, and grace. The first sight of her in her tailored suits, with matching shoes, scarves, and hats (“crowns” suitable for the queen that she was), would take your breath away. Rolla was unparalleled in the level of comfort and care she imparted to her friends and their families, especially in extreme times of need, in sickness and death. Rolla had an infectious smile for friends and strangers alike, and could get a complete stranger to disclose his entire life history in record time. We’ll remember her in perpetual motion, always doing for others, always making sure others were comfortable and well, that our environment was spotless, our food plentiful, and our hearts filled with love.
Pre-deceased by her husband of 31 years and father of her children, Finnell Bonner, her eldest son Finnell “Nicky” Bonner, II, and devoted sister Juanita Wilson Carr, Rolla is survived by seven children: Marsha Bonner, Michael Bonner, Mark Bonner, Myra Bonner Howard, Karla Bonner, Michelle Bonner and Kristy Bonner Summers. She also leaves behind eight grandchildren: Linnell Bonner, Jacqueline Bonner, Brandon Bonner, Sabrina Bonner, Rahla Bonner, Rianne Bonner, Zachary Clare, and Malik Howard. Two sons-in- law, Peter Clare and Patrick Summers, also survive her. Her surviving siblings are Billie Wilson, Eugene Wilson, Frankie Wilson, Roland Wilson, Terry Wilson, Peter Hines, Lawrence Hines, and Shirley Hines, and their children. She was particularly close to her nephew Randy Wilson, his wife Towanda and their two children. She dearly loved many close friends, including: Jessie Griffin and others from the old neighbor
hood, the Redmond’s, the Henderson’s, and many more from church, A nnie Blount and other co-workers from H & R Block, and so many others too numerous to mention.
There will never be another Rolla M. Bonner. We love you and will miss you every day, Mom, Nana, and friend.
