Mrs. Dorothy Marie Bennett Bonner, age 91, a resident of Edward, died Friday, June 21, 2019, at Grantsbrook Nursing & Rehab Center of Grantsboro.

A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 26, 2019, at Edward Christian Church, officiated by Pastor David Linton. Burial will follow in Oakhaven Cemetery of Edward. Steve Carrow, Jimmie Walker, Doug Niethammer, Frank Richards, Jr., Carl Bonner and Keith Baker will serve as pallbearers.

The family will receive friends 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington and other times at the home of Mrs. Bonner’s son and daughter-in-law, Don and Jeanne Bonner.

Mrs. Bonner was born in Edward on Sept. 23, 1927, daughter of the late Leonidas Charles Bennett and the late Neva Doughty Bennett. She was a graduate of Aurora High School, Class of 1944. To further her education, she attended ECC, now East Carolina University, and obtained her bachelor’s degree in education. Upon her graduation from ECC, she was awarded the Thomas Clay Williams Scholarship. Her first teaching job was with Forsyth County Schools for one year, and she retired from Beaufort County Schools in 1981 after 30 years of service.

On May 28, 1950, she married the love of her life William Russell “Billy” Bonner, who preceded her in death on March 31, 2019. Mrs. Bonner was a member of Pi Omega Pi-honorary fraternity. Mrs. Bonner’s priorities were her God, her family and her church. She was a very active member of Edward Christian Church and was faithful in attendance and service.

To prepare herself to be a better missionary, Mrs. Bonner, along with her husband Billy, attended a discipleship training school with YWAM in Kona, Hawaii, in 1992. Following this, she did mission work with YWAM in Vicente Guerrero, B.C., Mexico and Lausanne, Switzerland. At her church, she taught Sunday School for many, many years and served as the church clerk. She also served on the funeral committee, where she ministered to families in times of death. The Bible was a very special book to Mrs. Bonner, and she has read it through every year since 1984. She also enjoyed books by Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen and her favorite scripture was Phil. 4:13.

Mrs. Bonner enjoyed doing craft work, along with her husband, using plastic canvas. She also liked to cook and share with the sick and shut-ins.

Survivors include two sons, Billy Bonner, Jr. of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Don Bonner (Jeanne), of Edward; a brother, Lee Bennett, of Edward; three grandchildren, Marina Bonner Gold (Jordan), Sierra Bonner and Brett Bonner; and a great-grandchild, Liam Gold. Mrs. Bonner was predeceased by a brother, Donald Bennett, and a sister, Patricia B. Benjamin.

Flowers are welcome and appreciated, and the family kindly asks that any memorial contributions be made to Edward Christian Church, 23 Academy St., Edward, NC 27821.

Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.

Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Bonner family.