Bonnie Jean Chicilli

She grew up in Flint, MI, attended St. Mary Catholic School & Central High School, & carried with her the strong work ethic & Catholic faith that shaped her life.

On September 29, 1956, she married Louis Eugene Chicilli. Together they built a life grounded in devotion, resilience, humor & family, sharing 63 years of marriage until his passing in 2019. Over the years they lived in Northern Michigan & Florida, moving numerous times before ultimately returning to Michigan.

Bonnie was determined & independent. At age 34, she returned to school to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. She worked many years at Hurley Medical Center, retiring in 1987, & also served at Genesee Memorial Hospital before continuing in private duty nursing. Caring for others was not just her profession, but part of who she was.

She was an avid reader & lifelong learner. Bonnie loved EWTN & faithfully watched cooking shows beginning with Julia Child in the 1960s & continuing through recent years. She collected books, recipes & clothing, often gifting a carefully selected book to a family member if she felt they needed to learn something from it.

Her greatest joy was her family. She cherished time with her children & grandchildren. Known for her quick wit & generous spirit, she was the ultimate partner in crime as a grandmother — often with a donut in one hand & slipping you $20 into the other. Her warmth & humor made her instantly loved by everyone she met. Bank tellers & taxi drivers would compete over who had the pleasure of waiting on her.

She leaves to cherish her memory her children, Danielle Eashoo Fry & Anthony John Chicilli (Heidi); sister Sally Pray (William); sister-in-law Helen Fields; grandchildren Andrew (Jenica) Fry, Laura Hart, Scott (Mary) Hart, Kylie (Rob) Spagnuolo, Keegan Chicilli, Teya & Jazmyne Olan; great-grandchildren Caleb (Alaina) Horton, Cara, Christian, Cassidy, Connor Smith & Domenico Hart, Carly Hart-Arsnoe, Noelle, Cecelia & Natalya Fry, Malani Hart with one on the way; three great-great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, cousins & dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Eugene Chicilli; daughter & son-in-law Gina Hart (Terry) & their daughter Lisa Hart; son-in-law Edward Fry; granddaughter Corbon Fry; great-grandson Kollin Fry; & siblings Phyllis Shifflett Meredith, Marjorie Parks, Guy Fields, & William (LaVonne) Fields.

Bonnie’s life was marked by perseverance, faith, humor & unwavering love for her family. Her legacy lives on in the generations who will always remember her strength, laughter & generous heart.

A visitation will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, located at 955 Alton Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48823, on February 13, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.

A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at the same location from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. Video of recorded Mass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuR-c4dYWLk

For those who wish to make a memorial contribution, the family has suggested donating to: St Mary's Catholic Church for their local efforts with their nonprofit @ Donate - Catholic Charities of Shiawassee & Genesee Counties @ catholiccharities-flint.org.