Bonita Marie Leslie

CENTERVILLE - Bonita Marie Leslie died on Wednesday, May 11th, 2022 at her home on Cape Cod after a long battle with heart disease and numerous other ailments. She died just a little over 3 months shy of her 71st birthday.

Bonita was born on August 19th, 1951 in Lebanon, PA. She is predeacesed by her parents, Matthew Francis Mongelluzzi and Alberta (Berger) Mongelluzzi, as well as both of her brothers (Matthew T. Mongelluzzi and Thomas Mongelluzzi).

Bonita is also predeacesed by her loving husband, Edward E. Leslie. They were together for over 45 years. Bonita died just two years and 9 days after losing her beloved spouse Eddie, who affectionately called her “Beansie.”

Bonita leaves behind two children, her son, Robert M. Collins, of Highland Beach, FL., and her daughter, Tina Marie White, of Hyannis, MA.

She is survived as well by her son-in-law (Tina’s husband) Christopher White and her grandchildren: Kyle Popillo, Eddie White, Giovanni White, and Joseph White. She is also survived by several cousins and other distant relatives.

Bonita met her spouse, Eddie, in Lansdale, PA in 1973. At the time, she was a single mom with two small children, and in need of a car, so she went to a dealership where her cousin worked, to buy a VW Beetle. When Eddie saw her, he immediately brushed the cousin (who worked for him) aside and told her that he would not sell her a car unless she agreed to go out on a date with him, to which she responded, “well, I guess you lost a sale then.”

Of course, Eddie would not take “no’ for an answer, and he relentlessly pursued her until she finally agreed to go out on a date with him.

This marked the beginning of a lifetime, where the two fell in love and spent the rest of their lives together. Married in 1979 on Cape Cod, Bonita shaped her life as a loving spouse and homemaker and became the matriarch of her new family.

Bonita was credited with her husband’s successes in life as she was his private counselor and trusted advisor, who behind the scenes would advise her husband on all of his decisions. While Eddie was the gregarious outgoing leader who got things done and shined in the spotlight, Bonita was the quiet demure woman behind the scenes that Eddie relied upon so intimately.

Bonita took pride in her quiet role and worked steadfastly to raise and protect her family, her husband and her children. She relished her role as the family matriarch and her greatest pride was in her husband, her children and she was especially proud of being a ‘Nana’ to her grand children.

Bonita’s greatest passion in life was her family. She also loved animals, especially small dogs, and was never seen without her beloved pets in her arms, including her Maltese’s which she fell in love with after seeing the breed in the movies as the girlfriend of Benji. In the end, she leaves behind her two small teacup poodles, Maggie and Mandy, who were her greatest comfort after losing her husband. Special recognition goes out to her personal assistant Tom Shea who has cared for her, her husband, her pets and her home and affairs and who will care for her fur babies, according to her wishes, now that she has passed on.

Bonita will be remembered for what an incredible and accomplished chef she was - she had a passion for feeding those she loved with the most scrumptious meals. She even once prepared a dinner one night at their home in NYC. Eddie was friends with the brother of a world renowned chef and prepared one of his favorite dishes (Osso Bucco) for Jean-George’s that was so spectacular that according to Eddie, she was told that she could be the head chef at any of his worldwide restaurants - of course, she refused as her place in life that brought her the greatest joy, was her family.

Bonita was a woman of deep religious faith and she worked diligently to instill her Christian values into her family. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile and the infectious joy she brought to all those whom she crossed paths with.

Bonita never sought fame or recognition yet she achieved far greater than that by living life on her terms and indelibly touching the lives of everyone she crossed paths with. She lived a fairytale life of love and compassion and will be remembered fondly for how she enriched the lives of those around her.

There will be a visitation held at Doane, Beal & Ames Funeral Home located at 160 West Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 on Thursday, May 19th, 2022 from 11 AM until 2PMfollowed by a gravesite service at 2:30 PM at the Beechwood Cemetery in Centerville, MA at 2:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations in Bonita’s name, be made to a Pet Charity of your choice. For online condolences, please visit www.doanebealameshyannis.com