Rosie May Bonan went to be with the Lord on July 18, 2022. She was born May 6, 1937 on a family farm outside of Rinard, Illinois where she, her four younger siblings and parents lived. Rosie attended Willow Branch School, a one-room schoolhouse, where the school master was her Uncle, Estes Laughlin. She later attended Flora High School and graduated in 1955. While in school she worked summers at a local dry cleaning shop and babysat for neighbors. After her high school graduation, she started working at a shoe factory but was soon notified she had received a scholarship to the University of Southern Illinois in Carbondale. While attending college at SIU, she worked as a nanny for a college professor in exchange for room and board. The last two years she worked in the housing office. After graduating in 1959 with a Bachelor’s of Education degree in Home Economics she began teaching at Lawrenceville Junior High School. Due to health conditions, Rosie was advised to move to a dryer climate. So, in the summer of 1961 she moved to Estes Park Colorado and commenced working as a cook for Riverside Lodge. Shortly after she was offered a teaching position in Olathe Colorado and moved to Montrose.
It was while she worked at Olathe High school that she met a fellow teacher, Rudy Bonan, who would become the love of her life. They were married on August 3, 1963. The newlyweds moved to Pueblo and set down roots. Rosie taught one year at Pueblo County High School before she resigned to start a family. Rosie and Rudy had two daughters, Ronda and Roe Ann.
Once her girls were in school, Rosie returned to Pueblo County High School and continued to teach for School District 70 until her retirement in 1991. In addition to teaching full time and raising a family, she started taking classes at Colorado State University. She drove several nights a week to Fort Collins and spent weeks during the summer there attending classes. Rosie received her Master’s of Education degree in 1973.
Rosie was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, American Business Women’s Association, numerous professional educator associations including The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and was a faithful member of Lynn Gardens Baptist Church.
Rosie enjoyed hostessing family and friends, cooking, sewing, camping, traveling and spending time with family, especially at her cabin in Guffey. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and faithful friend.
Rosie is preceded in death by her parents William and Wilma Laughlin, her beloved husband Rudy Bonan, brothers Willie and George Laughlin, brothers in law Bob Golden and Tom Colclasure, brother in law and sister in law Al and Bernice Bonan.
She is survived by her children Ronda (Pat) Collette and Roe Ann (Tim) Collette; grandchildren Timothy John Collette and Jenna (Brandon) Kliesen; great grandson Brock Kliesen; sisters Eunice Golden and Betty Colclasure; sisters in law Mary Laughlin and Ann Phillips, many nieces and nephews, extended family and friends.
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