Bonnie Black Robb

Bonnie Black Robb died February 26, 2022, in Boulder, CO at the age of 82. A Boulder native, Bonnie Lou Black was born July 11, 1939, the first child of Margaret & Richard Black. She attended Casey Junior High and Boulder High School; and hung out at Potters Drug on Pearl Street in the 1950’s, long before it was the destination mall it is today. She attended the University of Colorado, where she was active with the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority along with many other campus organizations. She graduated in 1961 with a degree in English Literature.

While at CU, Bonnie met James M. (Jim) Robb and they married in 1960. They welcomed their first child in 1961, and moved to Minnesota shortly afterwards, in response to Jim’s assignment with the FBI. A few years later they moved to Grand Junction, CO and their second child was born in 1965. In Grand Junction, Bonnie was an active member of in the Western Colorado Center for the Arts. She was also a part-time ski instructor at Powderhorn Ski Area. In 1969, Bonnie and Jim traveled to Japan, a trip that ended up being greatly influential in Bonnie’s artwork and attitude.

In 1972, the family moved to a suburb of Washington D.C., when Jim accepted a staff position with Colorado Senator Peter Dominick. Bonnie attended the University of Maryland and was pursuing her master’s degree in fine art during this time. Three years later, the family moved back to Colorado. Bonnie continued painting and expanded her art to include sculpture and quilting. In the late 1970’s Bonnie obtained her real estate license and sold real estate throughout the Grand Valley.

In 1982, a few years after her divorce, Bonnie moved back to Boulder. She became a mortgage lender and opened her own company, Aspen Mortgage. When she was 47, she miraculously survived a brain aneurysm that left her partially paralyzed on the right side of her body. Despite the physical challenges resulting from this event, Bonnie’s spirit was not dampened. Her close brush with death left her eager to live and fully explore life. She moved to Phoenix and went back to community college, earning her paralegal certification. She never worked as a paralegal, but said she wanted to “find out if her brain was still capable of learning.” In the early 1990’s, she moved to Guadalajara. Despite having little money, few resources and not speaking more than a few words of Spanish, Bonnie flourished in Mexico. With no phone in her rented casita, Bonnie would go for weeks and weeks without speaking to her family. She made great friends in Mexico and rediscovered her love of painting; this time using her left hand. After exploring different areas of Mexico, she moved briefly to Rosarita, then came back to the United States, settling in San Diego. She enjoyed living in there until 2002, when her family convinced her to return to Boulder so that she could be part of her grandchildren’s lives.

Bonnie continued painting and was involved in different art groups in the Boulder area. She displayed her paintings in several art shows over the years. As Bonnie grew older, she needed more help and eventually moved into Golden West Senior Apartments. While at Golden West, Bonnie participated in and taught art classes, and helped to keep Boulder’s economy strong by shopping as much as possible. Between aging and the effects of her aneurysm, Bonnie’s body could not keep up with her mind. This was extremely frustrating for her. She eventually gave in and started using a cane, and finally a wheelchair.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her mother, Margaret Black, her father Richard Black and her son, James Ashmead Robb. Bonnie is survived by her daughter Amy Robb Scott (Tom), her grandchildren Alexis Robb (Nathan Buss), Lucy Scott and Andrew Scott, and her great-granddaughter Hazel Buss. She is also survived by her siblings Tom Black, Tim Black (Mary), Victoria Black Kelly, and several nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces.

The family will hold a private celebration of life in April.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cristmortuary.com for the ROBB family.