Bonnie Jo Cousino

Bonnie Jo (Lister) Cousino passed away peacefully April 24, 2025, after an eight year journey with dementia. Bonnie maintained her love of family and friends despite the challenges of dementia. Her life can best be captured as someone who loved big and as one who celebrated each moment. In her 82 years here with us she experienced an abundance of each.

Bonnie’s love for family and friends was evident throughout her life. She was born to Max and Irene Lister July 3, 1942 in Niles, Michigan as the youngest of two children. Stories have been told of the mischief Bonnie and her sister, Judy, caused in their formative years. It must have been a joyous time for her. Life eventually brought them, as a family, to the Grand Rapids area where Bonnie met Bob Cousino. They married and raised their four children (Kelly, Lisa, Shannon, and Fred) in the countryside of Borculo.

Bonnie knew how to cook amazing food and maintained the busy schedules of her kids. She worked at the local elementary school in the hot lunch program for many years and eventually became a medical assistant, first with a local pediatrician, and finally as a staffing scheduler for Blodgett Hospital. Bonnie not only maintained a busy family, worked in her various roles, but she was also involved in her local church. She taught the importance of a relationship with our Heavenly Father not only to her children but also to the kids who attended Bauer Wesleyan Church (now Bauer Community Fellowship Church). Bonnie loved her church and her church family. She served in the church, sharing her homemade food at potlucks and gatherings, teaching Sunday School and CYC, attending mission trips in Haiti, Hepzibah and Mexico, and attending service on Sundays as long as she could. Bonnie loved big.

Bonnie also celebrated life. She was especially delighted by her grandchildren Monica, Jacqui, Chelsea, TJ, Sam, Sadie, Tyler, Joe, Luke, Lauren, and Paige. Birthdays were a celebration she didn’t miss. A shopping trip with "Nana" was essential for the big day. She enjoyed attending her grandkids' sporting events to cheer them on or watching a play at the local theater with them. Her cousins, Tom & Mary Lister and Ron & Phoebe Prosser, were also special to Bonnie, and she loved them like siblings. Bonnie enjoyed entertaining both at her home in Michigan and at her winter home in Florida. She always had plenty of food and lots of laughs whether it was watching the Tigers game with friends or entertaining in her Florida home. Bonnie maintained lifelong friendships and would often check in by phone or catch up through a meal or event. Friendship was important to her. Bonne also celebrated life through travel. She learned the love of travel from her parents and visited places such as Ireland, England, France, and Mexico. She celebrated each moment.

Bonnie was an amazing person, and she will be greatly missed. She was welcomed to Heaven by her parents Max and Irene Lister; sister, Judy Lister; daughter, Lisa Cousino; and son-in-law, Jon Block. She is survived by her children Kelly & Matt Brittain, Shannon & Jay Reil, and Fred & Carrie Cousino. She is also survived by her grandchildren Monica Block, Jacqui (Doug) Buskard, Chelsea (Nick) Lyons, TJ (Kyle) Bestrom, Sam (Reggie) Bailey, Sadie (Eric) Delawder, Tyler Brands (Chenery Weberg), Joe Block (Elena Perkins), Luke Cousino, Lauren Brittain, and Paige Cousino. She also loved being a "Nana Great” to Millie, Jay, Carter, and Louie. Bonnie truly embodied the adage of a life well lived.

Services for Bonnie will be 11 a.m. Friday May 2, 2025, with visitation from 10-11 a.m., at Bauer Community Fellowship, 4852 Bauer Rd., Hudsonville, MI 49426. There will be a luncheon following the service. Please consider a donation to Bauer Community Fellowship in memory of Bonnie. The family welcomes memories and messages at www.cookcaresgrandville.com in their guestbook online.