Bonnie Sue (Duncan) O'Neill
Bonnie Sue (Duncan) O’Neill passed away unexpectedly at her home with her family in Kingston, Idaho on February 22, 2019, at the age of 74. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, March 1st, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Kellogg with Father Jerome Montez officiating. A private family graveside will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery; but all are invited to join the family at a reception immediately following at the Steelworker’s Hall. Flannel attire is encouraged and would be an appropriate way to honor her. Bonnie was born on February 14, 1945, a Valentine’s sweetheart, in Fullerton, California to Samuel and Billie Brazzile Duncan. She arrived while her family was on a trip to California. She lived in Pitcher, Oklahoma until she was 16, then her family moved to Kellogg, Idaho so her father could work at the Bunker Hill mine. Bonnie graduated from Kellogg High School in 1962 and married Tom O’Neill that summer in July. They were married for 25 years and had 4 children together, JB, Tim, Tomi Sue, and Chris. During that time they built the family home in Enaville. Bonnie kept busy as a homemaker and mother. She worked at Sears, as a type- setter and proof reader at the Kellogg Evening News and at Panhandle Linen Supply. She later met Jim Coberly and they had her 5th child, Amber. They were married in 1990 and resided in Cataldo. Bonnie took training to become a CNA. She worked in nursing homes and did in home care for Loving Care and More for over 14 years. She lived in Kingston for 22 years with her companion Don Patton.
She was very proud of her Indian heritage, being a direct descendant of the Famous Mountain man Jim Bridger and of Chief Washakie of the Wind River Shoshone. Her grandchildren and her children were the most important things in her life. She was very giving and loving to all her patients and many times they became like family to her.
She was a very accomplished piano player and could play by ear and she taught lessons. When she was a little girl in Oklahoma she would ride her horse down the road to take lessons. Her love of horses and animals was well known. She enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren competing in o-mok-see events. In her day she could out ride them all. She helped break horses at Reynolds Ranch at Bear Creek, Idaho.
Bonnie treasured friendships and in her life she became the best and most loyal of friends with four very special women; Darlene (Reynolds) Lagerquist, Cricket Corbeill, Linda Brainard, and Lonnie Waechter. Many great times were had and much laughter and joy was shared. All of the children of these women became Bonnie’s second children and vice versa.
Bonnie will be missed by many in the community, but especially by her children; J.B. O’Neill of Kingston, Tim (Angie Brainard) O’Neill, Cataldo, Tomi Sue McLean, Enaville, Chris (Candi) O’Neill of Rose Lake and Amber (Van) Bryant of Kingston; her 16 grandchildren of whom she was so proud, and 14 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind her loving companion, Don Patton, at their home in Kingston; two sisters, Patricia (Tom) Glenn of Plano, Texas and Julia Byrd of Hayden, Idaho as well as her close friends; the Lagerquist, Corbeill and Medici families. Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Billie and by Lonnie Waechter whom she loved as a sister. The family suggests memorial gifts in her memory be to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital. On-line guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax, Washington is caring for the family