Bonnie Rae Powojski

Bonnie Rae Powojski, our deeply cherished grandmother, mother, sister, aunt, sister-in-law, cousin, friend and faithful Christian completed her heroic physical battle to breathe on this earth and was called to eternal breath Friday morning, April 20, 2018. Parents, Elenore and Harry Van Mulligen, gave birth to their first daughter, Bonnie, on October 11, 1949, in Long Beach, California. She attended Millikan, a large high school with a graduating class of over 1000 students. Bonnie was selected to an elite school choir where she had an opportunity to share her beautiful soprano voice. Singing was her passion. She continued to sing in choir and school musicals while attending Florida College and in weddings around the country following graduation. Bonnie would recall those “FC days” as some of the fondest times, creating deep friendships that would continue for the rest of her life. She had a love for learning and received her teaching credential at the University of South Florida, with an emphasis in English and History.

She was a life long educator of both herself and others. She began her first year of teaching at Florida College Academy before returning back to California. During the summer months between school years, Bonnie received a GS rating and worked in a civilian capacity at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard where she met her husband of nearly 42 years, Edward Powojski. Bonnie married that tall, big blue-eyed Polish boy from Detroit, Michigan on August 10, 1974, (a day she and Ed (mostly Ed) would often refer to as the day she became 100% Polish). Bonnie spent her first year of marriage teaching 6th grade at Nieblas Elementary School in Fountain Valley, producing the school’s first musical. Not long thereafter, she and Ed moved to a brand new city, Irvine, California, where they raised their children and established roots that would keep them there for the rest of their lives.

Bonnie used all of her special gifts to serve God, her family, and her community. She found pure joy in teaching both in school and in Bible classes, often sharing such rich insight and connections between characters, stories, and history. She extended her talents outside classroom walls and could often be found gardening, cooking, and reinventing new interior designs for her home. Her family, including most especially her daughters, were the beneficiaries of her time and talent, preparing them for every stage of life.

She is survived by her daughter, Allison Miller and son-in-law Christopher Miller; daughter, Lauren Szeto, son-in-law Daniel Szeto and grandson Wade Edward Szeto; her daughter, Nori Deatherage and son-in-law Sam Deatherage, sister Karen Washburn, brother David Van Mulligen, nephews and nieces, and many first and second cousins. Her son, Evan Edward, husband, and brothers Harry J. and Craig Van Mulligen preceded her in death. Bonnie’s legacy of family and friends will continue to honor her memory, love her into eternity, and look forward to seeing her again on that Great day.