Bonnie Jane Lee

Bonnie was born on June 3, 1940, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Francis and Alma Wicker. She attended Scranton Technical School before pursuing her nursing education at the Scranton State Hospital School of Nursing. A dedicated registered nurse, she took tremendous pride in her work at Lennox Hill Hospital in New York City during the 1960s and later as a home health care nurse while living in Syracuse, New York. After taking time away from her career to lovingly raise her children, Bonnie returned to nursing in the East Lansing area, serving at Ingham County Medical Care Facility and with the Ingham County Health Department for many years until her retirement in 2005.

On April 21, 1966, Bonnie married the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Edward Lee. Together they shared nearly 60 devoted years of marriage until Bob’s passing on March 27, 2026.

Bonnie was a faithful parishioner of St. John's Student Parish / St. Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing. She found joy in gardening, reading, crafting, traveling, trips to the beach, horses, and cheering on the MSU Spartans. Bonnie was nurturing, caring, meticulous, and endlessly devoted to others. She cherished the people in her life and was truly the matriarch of her family.

Bonnie is survived by her children, Michael Lee, Timothy Lee, Shannon Petroff, and Lauren (Mark) Birchmeier; grandchildren, Owen (Olivia) Petroff, Emma (Annabelle) Petroff, Annie Petroff, Andrew (Kiersten) Birchmeier, Abigail (Jacob) Dix, and Aaron Birchmeier; great-grandchildren, Elliston James Birchmeier and Ivy May Dix; and siblings, Robert Wicker and Nancy Doughorty.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert Lee; her brother, Jack Wicker; and her parents, Francis and Alma Wicker.

The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to CorsoCare Hospice, StoryPoint Abbot Park, and especially Bonnie’s devoted caregiver, Bonita Golchoff, for their compassionate care and support.

Bonnie’s kindness, strength, and love will be deeply missed by all who knew her. May her warmth, wit, genuine spirit, and wonderful sense of humor be forever remembered.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated for Bonnie at St. Thomas Aquinas in November. Please check back for updates.

Memorial contributions in honor of Bonnie may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, www.stjude.org or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, P.O. Box 5014 Hagerstown, MD 21741, https://give.michaeljfox.org/donate