Dorothy Shaw Bonner

Dorothy Shaw Bonner, Beloved Wife and Mother, 88, died at her home in Lakeway, Texas on Friday, February 27, 2009. She was born in San Antonio on March 13, 1920 to Grace Chandler Diehl Shaw and Silas Frederick Shaw, the fourth of five daughters. She graduated from Alamo Heights High School in 1937, and graduated from the University of Texas in 1941 with a BS in Geology. On February 28, 1942 she married Zora David Bonner, from whom she was never separated until his death in December, 2008. She accompanied him and made homes in Port Arthur, Chicago, Alexandria, Pittsburgh, Tokyo, London, Cleveland, Houston, and San Antonio, until they retired to their last home in Lakeway, Texas. Dorothy was an accomplished cook. She was apt to substitute quail in wine for chicken as a sickbed meal. She was friends with the butchers in every place that she lived, although the butcher in London little suspected that his best stewing beef was for the dog, and the tongue was for the family. She was also a skilled gardener and flower arranger, and honed her native talents in Japan. She loved her lilies, her peonies, her gerberas, and most of all, her roses. She loved being with children and watching children. She had a vibrant sense of humor. Dorothy was always ready to try new foods and plants and fashions, but her Christmas tree always had a Santa ornament from her first Christmas with her husband. Her greatest love and devotion were for her husband and her family. Dorothy was the cohesive force within her immediate family and sometimes her extended family – especially in times of stress. She was at ease with people of many cultures – equally with heads of state, maids, and gardeners. Her intelligence, understanding, human kindness, and sincerity shone through to all. She had the spirit of pioneers – overcoming amazing obstacles to support the family, reaching out across cultures to allow members of her family to broaden their reach, and welcoming into the family new cultures of high integrity. She had a fiery independence and grit which she generally subordinated to her family's needs but which came to the rescue many times when a tense situation needed resolution or egos needed taming temporarily. She was a member of the Episcopal Church. Dorothy is survived by her two children, David Calhoun, and Julie Ann, and her sisters Grace Ellen and Constance. She has two grandchildren, David Frank and Marisa, and six great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her sisters Mary and Virginia Fredrica and her husband David. A memorial service will be held at a later date.