Bonnie Lee McClary

PEKIN ~ Bonnie Lee McClary, 62, of Pekin, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt and friend whose greatest joy in life was simply being with the people she loved, passed away at 12:12 p.m. Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at her home.

Born March 22, 1964 in Elgin, Illinois to Buddy Spencer and Bernice Shirley “Bea” (Raddatz) Troxell, she married Thomas "Tommy" Leroy McClary, Jr. on September 7, 1982 at the North Pekin Church of the Nazarene. Together they shared nearly 44 years of marriage and a lifetime of memories, adventures, laughter and love.

Bonnie is survived by her husband, Tommy; her children, Ryan (Jamie) McClary, Michelle (Matt Minor) McClary and Tyler McClary, all of Pekin; her granddaughters, Jaydence McClary, Harper McClary and Kenadee Minor; her sisters, Debbie Cornwell, Tammy (Don Covey) Troxell and Kathy (Gerald) Cox; her mother-in-law, Beverly K. McClary; her sisters-in-law, Marva (Wayne) Golden and Heidi McKeown; her nephews, Jason Golden, Todd Golden, Robbie Golden, Cory Golden, Chad Heilman, Jeff Heilman, Joel Cox and Dustin Cornwell; her nieces, Tanya Robertson, Jackie DeWitt, Josie Cox, Jessica Cox, Felicia Wood and Britney Norevil; along with many other family members and friends who loved her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her father-in-law, Thomas McClary; her brothers-in-law, Mike Cornwell and Mike Robertson; and her nephew, Kyle Heilman.

Bonnie was proud of her home and proud of her yard, but more than anything in this world, she was proud of her children and her grandchildren. Family was Bonnie's world.

She believed memories were made by doing things together, and some of the best traditions were the silly ones. Christmas meant silly string. Springtime meant rock hunting. Rain didn't necessarily mean running for shelter. Sometimes it meant finding the nearest puddle and dancing in it.

When her granddaughters were with her, they had her full attention. Whether they were taking bicycle rides, going to the park, walking, playing games, swimming in the backyard pool, making cookies, rock hunting or metal detecting, Grandma Bonnie made sure those girls knew just how much they were loved.

She taught them not to be afraid to pick up a worm or a roly-poly. She taught them that getting dirty was okay, laughing was good for the soul and sometimes the best memories came from doing something silly together.

Bonnie loved adventures with her family. She loved fishing, rock hunting, swimming, long rides and simply going somewhere without needing much of a reason.

She loved attending rock concerts, and some of her favorite adventures were the ones she shared with Tommy. They loved taking long rides together and watching thunderstorms roll in. Bonnie loved the rain, and she wasn't afraid to dance in it.

Their life together didn't have to be complicated to be wonderful.

Bonnie and Tommy shared a lifetime of memories, adventures, laughter and love. She once told Tommy that her teenage years had been difficult, but after meeting him, her life became wonderful. Tommy always said the feeling was mutual. Bonnie calmed his wild heart, softened him and changed his life in ways she probably never completely understood.

Bonnie had a way of reminding the people she loved that no matter how difficult life became, there was still reason to believe tomorrow could be better. One of the things she often said was, "Things will work out. They always do. And don't forget to pray." Those words came from the way Bonnie lived her own life. Bonnie had a strong faith in Jesus Christ and God. Prayer was not something reserved for difficult days. She prayed daily, and her faith was an important part of who she was.

Bonnie will be remembered for her love of family, her laughter, her strength, her faith and her ability to find happiness in ordinary moments. She showed her children and grandchildren that some of life's greatest memories don't cost anything at all. They can be found in a rock picked up from a freshly plowed field, a fishing trip, a bicycle ride, a Christmas silly-string fight, a thunderstorm watched beside someone you love or a puddle waiting for somebody willing to dance in it.

More than anything, Bonnie Lee McClary will be remembered for loving her family with everything she had. Her children were her pride. Her granddaughters were her joy. Tommy was her partner in every adventure. And her family was her life.

The people who loved Bonnie will continue to find pieces of her everywhere. In the rocks she collected, in the yard she cared for, in the traditions she created, in the sound of her grandchildren laughing, in the rumble of an approaching thunderstorm and especially when the rain begins to fall.

And when it does, those who knew Bonnie best will know exactly what she would want them to do. Don't run for shelter. Find a puddle and dance.

Private family services will be held Friday, August 28, 2026 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Tazewell Animal Protective Society, 100 Taps Lane, Pekin, IL 61554.

To express condolences online, visit www.Preston-Hanley.com