Bonnie DeWeerd Johns

Bonnie was born on November 10, 1942 to Dr. James and Marijane DeWeerd in Chicago, IL. She lived with her mother and grandparents Hector and Ethel Brouillet in Chicago until her father returned from WWII. They then moved to Rochester, MN where she graduated from John Marshall High school in 1960. She attended the University of Wisconsin then transferred to nursing school at St. Luke’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado, where she received her RN degree. While in Denver, she met the love of her life, Henry Johns, on a blind date. They were married on November 27, 1965.

Bonnie and Henry moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where their first child, Andrew, was born. Later they moved to White Pine, Michigan, where they added a daughter, Sarah, to the family. They also lived in the Globe/Miami, AZ area before finally relocating to Copperhill, Tennessee, where they raised their family. Their final move, once their family was grown, was to the Phoenix area, where they have lived for the last 35 years.

Bonnie was very active in many endeavors in her life, including a lifelong love of nursing in which she worked in hospitals, hospice care, and home health. She was also a lifelong Girl Scout and served as a troop leader, service unit leader, and "cookie mom." She spent her leisure time in the pool, reading, as well as spending time enjoying the colorful flowers and plants of the desert. In her later years, Bonnie enjoyed hobbies of swimming, reading, and being a grandmom to four wonderful grandkids.

She was preceded in death by her loving parents and is survived by her husband of 59 years, Henry "Hank" Johns; her two kids, Andy Johns of San Antonio, TX, and Sarah Peterson (Paul) of Westwood, KS; her brother, Dr. James DeWeerd (Barbara), Jr; her sister, Susan Schmuck; and her grandkids, Christopher Dykes of Foster City, CA, Erica Dykes of San Antonio, TX, and James Johns and Elizabeth Johns both of San Antonio, TX.

A private family memorial will be held on March 29th, 2025 in Liberty, MO followed by interment at Fairview New Hope Cemetery in Liberty, MO. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Bonnie’s name to Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ.