Carol Ann Bonnicksen

There are some people whose presence becomes such an important part of our lives that it is impossible to imagine the world without them. Our mother was that person for us.

Carol Ann Bonnicksen, a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully the morning of Thursday, August 6, 2026. She was born in February 1940 and raised in Wenatchee, Washington, where she learned the importance of family, faith, and community. She went on to graduate from Central Washington University in Moses Lake, Washington; met and married her husband Brian Bonnicksen in July 1963, and together they built a family that would become the greatest joys of her life.

Her children and grandchildren were her entire world. There was nothing she loved more than knowing how we all were doing, hearing our voices, being together, and celebrating the big and little moments of our lives. She moved to Western Washington in 2018 to be closer and help rebuild the life of her eldest daughter, Pam and two grandsons, Robert and Ryan when they unexpectedly lost a husband and father. Our mother was selfless, full of wisdom and led with love built on a firm foundation rooted in Christ.

Our mother found happiness in the simple things of life… like chocolate. She enjoyed singing while strolling around, bible study, bingo, traveling the world via google maps with her son, our annual family outings to baseball games or musicals, our annual Christmas family themed photo, playing cars with her middle grandson when he was young, watching her youngest grandson ride around on his scooter, sharing tender moments with her daughters, rooting for her Seahawks, and all the gatherings where everyone could simply be together. She treasured our Sunday family calls, even when we couldn't all be in the same room. Those calls, the laughter, the stories, the games and the everyday conversations are memories we will hold onto forever.

Her greatest joy was watching her children and grandsons grow, succeed, and build lives of their own. She will be remembered for her love, her faith, her warmth, and the countless memories she created with the people she loved most. She was incredibly proud of her grandchildren and loved watching them grow into the people they are today. One of her most recent and special memories was celebrating her eldest grandson's college graduation. Seeing him reach such an important milestone brought her so much pride and happiness. It was one more moment she got to do what she loved most—celebrate and be present with her family.

She is survived by her three children, Pam, Mike, and Christi and three grandchildren, Robert, Ryan and Mark, and son in law Jonathan, and countless nieces and nephews who will forever carry a piece of her with them. She was preceded in death by her husband, Brian, in June 2018 and late son in law, Gregory, in 2010.

We will miss her voice.

We will miss her laugh.

We will miss her silliness. We will miss the phone calls and the family gatherings. We will miss having her there for the celebrations, the ordinary days, the simple things in life and everything in between.

But most of all, we will miss simply knowing that she was always there for us no matter what.

We know she would want us to keep gathering around the table, keep making memories, keep cheering at the baseball games, and keep celebrating one another. Because that was what mattered to her most.

Her life was measured not by accomplishments or possessions, but by the people she loved and the love she gave them. And she gave us more love than words could ever express.

Her greatest legacy is her children and grandchildren.

We will carry her with us in our traditions, stories, laughter, faith, and in the way we will be there for another.

She was our home, our constant, our joy, our matriarch and the best person we know.

And although we will spend the rest of our lives missing her, we will spend them being grateful that we got to call her Mom, Grandma and our beloved Mimi.

Until we meet again, we love you deeply and rejoice in heaven.