Bonita was born on January 13, 1926 at home in Gorman, Texas to her parents, James G. and Lella (Brashier) Williams. Her father’s job brought them to Oklahoma where she spent most of her early life. She attended Jackson Junior High where she was Valedictorian and then Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City, OK. Upon graduation, she decided to attend the University of Oklahoma where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in 1948. This is also where she met her one true love, William J. Woodruff of Tecumseh, OK, whom she married on May 6, 1946.
Bonita was a member of First Baptist Church Richardson and the Bridge Builder’s Sunday School class. Although she was unable to attend services in her later years due to physical restrictions, she always wanted a bulletin and prayer guide from each Sunday service to keep up with what was going on in the church and to pray for those in need. She loved listening to Christian music and reading her Bible. Bonita was also a very avid sports fan. She played tennis in high school and was one of the top players in the state of Oklahoma. She loved her “Sooners” and yelled for them at games she attended as well as when watching them on the television.
Being married to a petroleum engineer, Bonita moved around quite a bit living in in 7 different states from Alaska to Louisiana. Bonita held a lifetime teaching certificate and used this to teach school in various locations including Louisiana. In addition to teaching, Bonita held jobs as a legal secretary in Cortez, CO and church secretary in Santa Barbara, California.
Bonita is survived by her two sons, Larry B. and wife Dorothy Woodruff of Allen, TX and Gerald A. and wife Deirdre Woodruff of San Diego, CA; sister, Connie McDonald of Clarkston, WA; granddaughter, Jennifer and husband Michael Johnston, of McKinney, TX; grandson, David G. and wife Amanda Sass of Frisco, TX; granddaughters, Kala Siler and Robyn Siler, both of Edmond, OK; grandchildren, Hailey, Lucas, and Peyton Johnston of McKinney, TX; and various nieces, nephews, and friends.
Preceding Bonita in death were her parents, James and Lella Williams; her husband of 63 years, William J. Woodruff; brother, Mondell Williams; and sisters, Audney Stickney, Chloe-L Patterson, Theda Hubbard, and Coye Dutton
Services for Bonita will be held at First Baptist Church Richardson, 1001 N. Central Expressway, Richardson, Texas, at 10:00am on Thursday, April 25, 2019, with interment to follow at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery at 1:30pm.
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