- Date Of Birth: August 4, 1917
- Date Of Death: July 11, 2021
- State: Texas
Bonnie Berneta Peeples, 103+, of Belton.
Miss Peeples was born in Rogers, Texas on August 4, 1917, the youngest daughter of James Henry Peeples and Jessie Mae (Nichols) Peeples. She lived in Bell County all her life. Her father died in 1919 during the Flu pandemic and both he and her mother are buried in McCann Cemetery outside of Rogers.
She was the Associate Editor of the Belton Journal for many of her 70 years there, never actually making retirement stick but continuing to work into her mid-nineties. She was a long-time member of the Belton Church of Christ. She was also a member of the Belton Rotary Club, Belton Chamber of Commerce, The Historical Society, and the Belton Library.
She was preceded in death by three brothers Howell Peeples, Bert Peeples, Leon Peeples and two sisters Hazel Reem (Peeples) Sweet and Reba (Peeples) Surghnor.
Though she never married, she enjoyed having eleven nieces and nephews. She is survived by many of them: Janis Peeples Haywood (Carl) of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Maurice Peeples (Gayla) of Horseshoe Bay, Texas; Bert Peeples (Kathy) of Belton; May Ann Peeples Moore (Ronnie) of Mustang, Oklahoma; Tom Peeples (Sandy) of Largo, Florida; Cynthia Sweet Manning (DeWayne) of Tyler, Texas; Mike Peeples of Cedar Park; and Pat Peeples (LaJuana) of Georgetown, Texas. Dozens of great-nieces and nephews have followed.
Following the untimely death of her father, the family moved from Rogers to Belton when Berneta was still a toddler. She attended Belton schools and Mary Hardin Baylor College, beginning her more than 70-year journalism career during high school at The Belton Journal. She became a valuable historian of local lore and was iconic in her knowledge of the goings on in Belton for decades.
She was a founding member of the Bell Historical Society and the Bell Fine Arts Association. She championed the cause of the Bell County Museum from the outset and served on its board for several years. Berneta was also involved with the Belton Homes Tour, the Salado Art Fair and was integral in the promotion of the Belton Rodeo and Fourth of July parade.
