Thomas William Bonin

Thomas William Bonin, of Williamsburg, VA, died May 3, 2014 of natural causes. He was born in Manitowoc, WI on October 3, 1939, ninth of ten children. He served in the Army (Signal Corps) from 1959-1962, primarily in West Germany, where he was stationed while the Berlin Wall went up in 1961. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and proceeded to a successful 31-year career with Anheuser Busch Corporation. He greatly enjoyed his long career as a corporate engineer and the many chances to travel around the United States which it afforded him, particularly his time at the brewery in Nashua, NH, where he met Bonnie, his beloved wife of 44 years. A problem-solver and tireless home-improver, he taught himself how to install tile and hardwood floors. He was an avid golfer, life-long learner, accomplished card-player, gardener, and genealogist. He loved to teach. Mr. Bonin was preceded in death by his parents, Anton and Priscilla; his parents-in law, William Beach, Merrie Hagopian and Joachim Hagopian; his siblings, Bernice Allie, Hildegarde Sieracki, Violet Edinger and James Bonin; and his brothers-in-law, Donald Allie, Richard Sobel, Ralph Sieracki and Arthur Edinger. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie; his four children, Amy Tompkins (Robert), Kate Bonin (Gordon Pipes), Margaret Gossett (Christopher) and Christopher Bonin; his seven grandchildren; five of his siblings, Charlotte Sobel, Mary-Ellen, Donald (Janet), Richard, and Judy Wind (Dennis Reimer); and his sister-in-law, Dorothy. He is well loved and missed by a wide circle of family and friends. Memorial services will be held at Old St. Bede Church, on Richmond Road in Colonial Williamsburg, VA (between the corners of Harrison Ave and Bright Street), on Thursday, May 8 at 11:00 AM.