- Date Of Birth: November 1, 1911
- Date Of Death: January 24, 2008
- State: New Mexico
Bessie B. Bonnell, 96
Loved by all that knew her
Bessie Bonnell, a loving Mother and Grandmother went home to be with the Lord and her loved ones who have gone on before on January 24, 2008. She was surrounded by her loving family.
Bessie was born in Bent, NM on November 1, 1911. Her parents were Alexander Quick and Izilla Daugherty. Her father raised mules and sold them to the Army at Ft. Bliss. She had 1 brother, Marcus, & 2 sisters, Faye and Annie.
Bessie started school in Bent and then the family moved to the Sacramento’s where she attended school in Cox Canyon. She rode a mule to school. She then went to Cloudcroft where she played on the girl’s basketball team. It was there she met Don O. Bonnell. There must have been quite an attraction between them, because the teacher set up a partition to separate them. They married February 3, 1930.
After they married, Bessie and Don farmed in Russia Canyon for 10 years, then Karr Canyon for 1 ½ years, then moved to Laborcita Canyon where they planted an orchard and also ran some cattle. Every summer they would drive the cattle up the hill to the place in Russia Canyon, with Bessie and the girls driving the car behind the cattle. She has seen a lot in her lifetime from riding in a covered wagon, to seeing a man walk on the moon, to life as we know it today.
Bessie was a very independent lady. She lived by herself with the help of her children.
Survivors include her sons, Don Bonnell and wife Gladys and Frank Bonnell and wife Mary Beth; her daughters, Janet Shriver and husband Ron and Lois Fuller and husband Phillip; Daughter in law, Bonnie Bonnell; 14 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren and 7 great great grandchildren, as well as many other relatives and a host of friends.
Preceding her in death are her husband Don O. Bonnell; infant daughter, Mary Josephine; a son, Melvin Z. Bonnell and two grandchildren, Annell Dawn and Bryan A. Fuller.
