Bonnie Stevens Curtis was a kind and gentle soul with a ready laugh and welcoming smile. She was grace and unconditional love personified. She passed away from cancer at age 86 in January 2023. She is dearly missed.

Bonnie’s life began in Illinois, the second of the three lively daughters of Esther and Franklin. Fond memories of her Midwest childhood included living near a farm where she developed a lifelong love of horses. She graduated from Libertyville Fremont High School in 1954 and attended Northern Illinois State College, where she studied to be a teacher and was a member of Delta Sigma Epsilon sorority. She married in 1956 and decided to focus on building a family, which grew to include three sons and a daughter. 

Bonnie’s family moved around the country and lived in five different states, all the while embracing opportunities for adventure through road trips, camping, and exploring the Arizona desert. They traveled the Al-Can and settled in Anchorage, Alaska where Bonnie helped her husband, a pastor, start a small United Methodist church in the Bayshore neighborhood. Bonnie worked 14 years in Marathon Oil Company’s Accounting Department and 8 years providing administrative support for Alaska United Methodist Conference, both of which provided backdrops for the development of warm friendships that lasted into retirement.

Upon arrival in 1979, Bonnie enjoyed the opportunities Alaska provided for new and varied experiences, including horse-drawn sleigh rides and church retreats in Birchwood, crewing for a hot air balloon team, breaking trail to find the perfect Christmas tree, and appreciating the magnificent landscape through trailer camping and trips to Hope. 

All who were fortunate enough to know Bonnie knew that faith was core to her being. In Alaska, she pursued spiritual enrichment and fellowship through bible study and membership with Bayshore, East Anchorage, and St. John’s United Methodist Churches, and United Methodist Women. She had a beautiful voice and sang in church choirs throughout her life, and also participated in Anchorage’s community performance of Handel’s Messiah each year. She loved to write poetry and songs and composed and performed music for church with a friend and fellow choir member. Bonnie also shared her musical gifts by playing piano occasionally for church services. 

A highlight of Bonnie’s days was helping dear friends care for their horses and accompanying them to horse and dog show competitions. She also enjoyed balloon rides with family in New Mexico, touring the Holy Land, and volunteering for events with her church families. She loved to knit and created lovely sweaters for her family, as well as many sweaters and hats for children in need. She looked forward to family gatherings with her kids, grandkids, and extended families in Anchorage and Talkeetna, symphony seasons with her daughter, and weekly card games with friends. She treasured regular visits with family and friends in the Lower 48, including Colorado where she eventually moved to be well cared for by her eldest son and his family. She so appreciated their companionship and spiritual bond.

In addition to her love of horses, Bonnie found joy in spending time with animals in her home, including her dog Tovar; cat Cali; grand pets Darcy, Cuten, and Blackberry; and her Colorado family dogs, Tigra and Nova.  

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents Esther and Franklin and her sister Mary Louise (John) Wulz. She is survived by her sister Jean (Joe) Pieroni, sons Curt (Triss) and Robert, daughter Catherine, nine grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. Her son Gregory (Lisa) Curtis passed away less than two months after Bonnie. We know she welcomed him to heaven with loving arms. 

There’ll never be a last time

To see and hold close

Dear ones we cherish

The ones we love most

In Jesus our hope is as bright as the sun

We’ll be together again

– From “There’ll Never Be a Last Time” written and composed by Bonnie Curtis

Grace, joy, and unconditional love are Bonnie’s legacies. In lieu of flowers, Bonnie would have loved for people to perform acts of service and kindness for others.