Bonnie Silver Cagan died at the age of 93 on April 13, 2020. She was born on February 11, 1927 in Irvington, New Jersey, to Russian Jewish immigrant parents. Although her first language was Yiddish and she only learned English once she started public school, she became valedictorian of her graduating class at Irvington High School. The only family member to go to college, she graduated from Montclair State University.
A devoted wife and mother, she married Reuben R. Cagan on December 23, 1948. They moved to Florence, South Carolina in 1953, where they raised their two children. She taught math at Briggs Elementary School in Florence. She later became the county math coordinator after receiving her Master’s degree in education from the University of South Carolina. She was an active member of Temple Beth Israel in Florence, serving as sisterhood president, religious school director, and founder and singer in the temple choir. She also served as president of the Community Concert Association.
Upon moving to Pawleys Island, South Carolina in 1975 and later to Myrtle Beach, she worked as the county math coordinator until retirement. She was an active member of Temple Emanu-El in Myrtle Beach for more than 20 years and sang with the Carolina Master Chorale. She relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina in 2009.
She is survived by her son, Rick Cagan and wife Victoria in Lawrence, Kansas, and daughter, Lisa Cagan Mitchell and husband Tom in Raleigh, North Carolina; as well as five grandchildren, Sarah Power Cagan in Richmond, Virginia; Celeste Mitchell in Kettering, Ohio; Maggie Kennedy and husband Jay in Frankfort, Kansas; Brandi Studer, Emili Stoll and husband Brad in Lawrence, Kansas; five great-grandchildren called her Bubbe: Maura and Olivia Kennedy; Jackson and Sam Stoll; Zeke Studer.
Bonnie will be buried next to her husband in Ocean Woods Cemetery in Myrtle Beach.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to any of the following organizations: Temple Emanu-el, 406 65th Avenue North, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572; Carolina Master Chorale, 1811 N Oak St, Suite 6, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577; Yavneh, 6325 Falls of Neuse Rd, Suite 35-358, Raleigh, NC 27615.
Arrangements are with Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St., in Raleigh and McMillan-Small in Myrtle Beach, SC.
