Margarette “Bonnie” Bloomquist Gray, who just celebrated her 83rd birthday, passed away in her home, on Nov 26, 2021. Bonnie was born on November 16, 1938 to Helmer J and June VanWagoner Bloomquist.
Bonnie’s mother died when she was only 2 ½ and she and her only sister, Dyann, were raised by her father and stepmother, Inez Osberg Bloomquist Bjork. She and Dyann were best friends their entire lives even if they were separated by distance as adults. They would talk often on the phone until Dyann’s passing in 2017.
She graduated from South High School in 1957. She loved getting together for every reunion and kept in contact with many high school friends for most of her life. Friendship was always important to Bonnie no matter how short or long she had known you.
Bonnie met the love of her life, Gary Wayne Gray, on a blind date to the Gold and Green Ball in Feb of 1957. The were married and sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on April 3, 1958. They were rarely apart in their almost 60 years of marriage until Gary’s death in Nov. 2017.
She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She had many callings in the church throughout her life. She always loved being a Primary teacher and she served in many music callings. Bonnie was a wonderful musician and loved to play the piano. In her younger years, she was studying to become a concert pianist when she contracted a disease that affected her ability to play. She relearned to play the piano and although she couldn’t play like she had, she still could play very well. Music was always one of Bonnie’s greatest joys that she loved to share with her children and grandchildren.
Throughout her life, she held many Secretarial jobs but she worked the longest for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Genealogical Dept, in the Ancestral File, for 17 years. She loved the people who she worked with, especially the many Senior Missionary couples. Bonnie was always one who would listen and give friendship to anyone who needed it. Bonnie loved genealogy and spent a lifetime, preserving her heritage in saving pictures, stories, and any information she could find about those who had come before her. Family meant everything to Bonnie. She would pass along stories about her grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles to her 5 children, every chance she got.
Bonnie had one of the biggest hearts and would always welcome you to her home. She would spend hours talking to you on the phone, even if she was busy. She was never too busy to lend a sympathetic ear and she was always feeding more than just her family of 7. There were many times when one of her children would bring a friend or two home with them to eat dinner with the family. Bonnie never turned them away. There always seemed to be enough food. Her step-mother and mother-in-law came every Sunday to dinner, after they were widowed,for nearly a decade. She taught her children to always make sure friends without somewhere to go for the holidays would always find a place at her table. When you were in her home, you were family.
Bonnie is survived by her children, Jeff, Lori (Earl) Whitmore, Kelley (Donna), Glen, and Kristy (Steve) Arvanitas. Her Grandchildren, Marie (Nate)Johnson, Kendra (Stephen) Aston, Spencer (Anna) Whitmore, Collin (Jensen) Whitmore, Ashley (Eric) Shupe, Adam Gray, Sydney Arvanitas, Nick (Ashlyn) Arvanitas and Madeline Arvanitas ; great-grandchildren, Maxwell Johnson, Oliver Johnson, Emma Aston, Samuel Aston, Abigail Aston, Eliza Aston, George Whitmore, Ginny Whitmore, Cozette Shupe, and Eve Shupe.
Bonnie is preceded in death by her parents, Helmer J and June Van Wagoner Bloomquist, step-mother, Inez Osberg Bloomquist Bjork, her loving husband, Gary Wayne Gray, her dear sister, Dyann Bloomquist Peck and her great grandson, James Johnson.
A viewing and visitation with the family will be held for Bonnie on Wednesday, Dec 1, 2021 from 7:00-9:00 pm at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 Highland Dr, Salt Lake City, Ut. A family graveside service will be held at 11:00 am on Dec 2, 2021.
