Receiving the first of many accolades as four- year-old Miss Pigtails Memphis in 1946, Bonnie went on to be a National Honor Society member, a master crafter, fluent in German, and a clinical psychologist.
At Emory University, Bonnie pledged Alpha Chi Omega, and graduated with a B.A. in German (and a minor in Russian). She intended to join the Foreign Service and see the world, but detoured when she married Lt. Mick Maguire (USAF). After three children, a dozen moves to 7 states in 3 countries, plus innumerable camping trips along the way… she saw plenty.
Bonnie loved interior decorating and successfully made beautiful family homes in 13 different houses and one 18th century chateau. (The decision to hang plaid wallpaper in the chateau, on walls that were certainly nowhere near plumb, did lead some to wonder... but, as usual, it turned out beautifully.) Her lifelong pursuit of “the perfect look” included not only her homes, but also herself and her children. She was determined to tame her daughters’ unruly curls for church on Sundays. Both still have flashbacks to Saturday nights, being drenched with “No More Tears” detangler (tears were still shed). An accomplished seamstress, Bonnie made many clothes for her children early on, and enjoyed dressing them up and showing them off. When they became uncooperative, she enjoyed shopping for her own tasteful wardrobe and décor… and kitchen gadgets!
A fantastic cook, Bonnie loved to read recipes and had cabinets full of gadgets (many of which could not go into the dishwasher). This was a gene she inherited from her mother, shared with her sister, and passed on to her son. She also loved to collect cookbooks and sets of china. She was an excellent hostess/entertainer (and had to do a lot of it as part of military life). Despite feeling nervous beforehand, her parties were always well reviewed. Her incredible list-making abilities and super-powers in organization always served her well. She thoughtfully imparted much of this to her kids -- along with the rule, “She Who Prepares the Meal Does Not Clean Up” -- which seems completely fair, until recalling that most of her cookware could not go in the dishwasher.
Among her many other fantastic and diverse crafting skills were: needlework, painting, ceramics, and cake decorating. The last was a course she took during Lent, so all her masterpieces were stashed in the freezer… only to discover, upon thawing them after Easter, that every one of them had been nibbled on by sneaky children.
She ferried her kids to so many activities: piano, choir, theatre, dance, softball, soccer, cross-country. She was especially involved in Scouting -- as den mother, troop leader, on many camping trips (one of which earned her a Polar Bear patch for sub-zero conditions). She was even Girl Scout cookie chair one year, complete with pallets of cookies stored in the garage.
Bonnie had a beautiful soprano voice and she sang and performed throughout her life in school, community and church choirs, and in musical theater productions. She was cast in the lead role a couple times, but most often she was the un-billed star who held it all together behind the scenes.
She encouraged all her children to fly high and far. (Although, when two of them informed her, after the fact, that they had gone skydiving together, she opined that was a bit too high and far.)
After her children were successfully launched, she returned to school and graduated cum laude with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She practiced for 12 years in Illinois and then in Georgia… until her brain cancer diagnosis in 2009 and had to close her practice. Duke University Hospital considered her a success story because, while survival rates are usually 14 months, she lived on nine years.
Bonnie made friends everywhere she went and will be fondly remembered for her bottomless capacity to listen… as well as for her legendary lasagna, and her life-long love of Boston Terriers. She had a series of beloved dogs (nearly all of them named Maggie), and the family has lost count of how many Boston Terrier figurines she collected.
She lived a life full of friends and family, faith and love, food and music, language and travel.
Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, Gene Neiner and Rose Bizelli Neiner, and by her son Michael and his wife, Marcella. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Col. MJ (“Mick”) Maguire, her sister Rosanne Neiner Swiatek (Andrew), her daughters Molly (Robert Fritz) and Erin, and her granddaughters Fiona Fritz and Frances Maguire. She will be cremated and laid to rest at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery.
