Eleanor Porter Bonner

Eleanor was born in Fairfield, Connecticut, November 16, 1924. She passed away peacefully in the early afternoon of December 5, 2012, in the company of her son-in-law Steve.

She was the youngest of three children born to Henry and Eleanor Porter. Eleanor rose to the rank of Mariner in the Girl Scouts of America. A member of the Honor Society, she graduated from Roger Ludlowe High School, Class of 1940. She enrolled at Pratt Institute of Art and Design, a private college in Brooklyn, New York, but interrupted her studies to join the war effort during World War II.

On September 14, 1943, at age 18, while working as a “Clerk and Production Illustrator at Chance Vought Aircraft”, she applied to the Civil Aeronautics Administration “for a certificate of approval to take Flight Instruction or Flight Tests required for a Private License which is necessary to my engaging in the War Effort as a member of the W.A.Fs” (predecessor of the Women Airforce Service Pilots).

That organization was disbanded in December 1944, so on April 6, 1945, she joined the United States Marine Corp, completed boot camp, and began active service on June 12, 1945 in San Diego, California. She was assigned to the motor pool, “principal military duty: Truck Driver Lt.” She held the rank of Corporal upon her Honorable Discharge on July 5, 1946. She was then assigned to the U.S. Marine Corp Reserve, with a final Honorable Discharge on June 10, 1949. During that time she completed her art degree at Pratt, funded by the G.I. Bill.

She married fellow Marine Corp veteran, and soon to be City of Miami policeman, William Urquhart Bonner on April 12, 1950. Their five children, Patricia, William, Thomas, Michael, and Richard, were born between 1951 and 1962. During that time she was an artist, and for four of those years, co-owned Rogues Gallery Two, an art gallery in Coral Gables. She attended Episcopal Church services and sang in the choir.

During her long, rich life, on any given day, she might be fully engaged in any number of activities; bicycling, hiking, swimming, motor-boating or sailing, body surfing, canoeing or kayaking, drawing or painting, sewing, baking, gardening, writing, solving challenging cross word puzzles, playing her guitar, or traveling to visit friends and relatives.

She is survived by four of her children, Pat Milone, her husband Steve, Bill, his wife Dana, Tom, his wife Irina, and Richard; grandchildren: Stephie, Billy, Daniel, and Sean; Tiffany, Patty and Shane; Alisa,Violeta, and Daniel; and great-grandson Chris. Her brother Bob Porter and wife Shirley, their children, Nancy and Jim, and grandchildren Mandy and Josh. Niece Anita (daughter of late brother Jack and wife Betty) and her son Sean. And her very close relatives and friends across three continents and the British Isles. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in her name, to a charity of your choice.