Bonnie Jean Craig

Bonnie was born in Rutland, Vermont and grew up in Castro Valley, California. As a young child she was gifted from a neighbor a horse, which was her first love. This changed the trajectory of her and her family's life. As she, her parents and two younger brothers (Jack and Joel Abraham) eventually owned many horses and all rode on nearby trails, in parades and rodeos. Bonnie was Miss Livermore as a teenager and rode in the Don Castro parade, among others.

Bonnie attended Chabot junior college majoring in journalism where she met and later married her first husband (Jim Jeffery). Several years later they moved briefly to Illinois with their 2 small children (Rick & Julie) before moving back to the Bay Area and eventually to Novato where she and her 2nd husband (Ken Craig) lived for over 35 years. Upon his passing, Bonnie moved to Napa for the culinary and wine adventure which she enjoyed to its fullest.

Bonnie was a daughter, sister, wife, aunt, friend and the role she was most proud of and loved dearly, a mom. She was deeply loving, giving, thoughtful, supportive, joyful, positive and the biggest cheerleader. One of her many gifts was making you feel special and adored. She was full of life, joy, positivity and strong faith.

Bonnie was philanthropic and always found a way to help others. Better together was one of her mottos. She was an active member of Our Lady of Loretto Church choir and prayer group for many years, taught CCD/catechism, Member of Catholic Daughters & Court Our Lady of the Miracle for 36 years. She was also very involved with Marriage Encounter for many years as well as Cursillo She Co-founded Helping Hands in the 1970's, Founded Friends & Companions in the mid-1980's, and later Founded Retirement Managers Association. For many years she was a Board Member, Secretary, Treasurer & Editor of the Novato Horseman's Association and was State Chairman for their Convention & Expo in the late 1980's. For many years she had been an active member of The Chamber of Commerce for Novato, Sonoma and Petaluma as well as The Business Executives Association of Marin, Soroptimist International and American Institute of Architects.

She also worked many years in Marketing and as a Marketing Director for Active Retirement Communities & other Businesses. In her later years she worked as an Event Planner and in Hospitality in the Napa Valley.

Bonnie was an amazing cook and baker. She loved to cook for family and friends and host gatherings, holidays and special occasions with the utmost attention to the smallest details, reflecting the love she put into all she did and the joy she wanted to bring to others. She enjoyed watching cooking shows and singing shows such as American Idol and The Voice and rooting on sports teams and NASCAR. And as everyone who knew her knows, she absolutely loved flowers, especially roses, and loved to garden which gave her immense joy and peace. It was always her happy place. She loved to share that joy with others often gifting flowers and plants (remove "fruit trees"). She eventually became a Master Gardener (now tending to God’s Garden).

As shared recently by friends close to her, Bonnie was so loved, an amazing woman, so generous and thoughtful, so full of life and joy, one of the best humans I have known, an incredible friend, an amazing woman and a joyful force, blessed to know her, amazing warm heart and beautiful smile, such an icon & voice for her generation and never slowed down, she was Miss sunshine and roses.

Bonnie passed away peacefully to heaven in the early morning of April 26, 2025 from respiratory failure due to pneumonia and bronchiectasis. She is no longer suffering and is now tending God's Rose Gardens.