Bonnie Lynn Williams

Bonnie Lynn Williams, age 76, of Sacramento, CA, beloved wife, loving, nurturing, and devoted mother and grandmother, entered into eternal life on October 29, 2022 at Mercy General Hospital surrounded by her loved ones. She was preceded in death by her mother Verna M. Chirco, her father Ben F. Chirco, and half-sister Marilyn Howsey. Survivors include husband Kent Williams of Sacramento, children: Rachel (Jason) Steele of Citrus Heights, CA, Joseph (Sarah) Williams of Hillsboro, IL, Ruth (Douglas) Ostheimer of Sacramento, CA, Anne Williams of Los Angeles, CA, and grandchildren: John Paul and Joshua Steele, Clara, Grace, Nathanael, and Timothy Williams, Veronica, Madeline, and Gabriella Ostheimer, and Gianna Chargin-Williams.

Bonnie was born on June 22, 1946 to Verna and Ben Chirco in Sacramento, California. Bonnie graduated from Sacramento Senior High in 1964. She earned an Associate of Arts degree in 1966 from Sacramento City College, a Bachelor of Arts in Art and German from UC Davis in 1968, and a Master of Library Science from University of Kentucky, Lexington in 1975. It was there that she met Kent Williams of Boulder City, Nevada, and their beautiful love story and courtship began. Bonnie married Kent at Christ Episcopal Church in Lexington, Kentucky on October 29, 1977. Bonnie and Kent continued to reside in Lexington until 1980, at which time they moved back to California, taking up residence in Yuba City.

Bonnie had a glowing professional career, which was spent entirely in government service. She served as a GS-11 Social Insurance Representative in the Marysville, Sacramento, Lexington, and Yuba City offices for 17.5 years during the period of 1968-1998. During that time, she also served as an authorized German Translator and classroom instructor for Social Insurance Representative Trainees, and was sent on numerous job details. At the start of 2002, she began serving as Reference Librarian at Hub Zemke Library on Beale Air Force Base as a PRIDE Industries government contractor, and became Library Director a few months later. She was especially proud of her collection of inspirational family literature and resources, including her selection of classic children’s books featured in the colorful reading room she created.

Although her professional career is commendable, Bonnie would attest that her greatest achievement in life was being a wife of 45 years to her husband Kent, and mother to her four children. She was truly the heart of her family, giving her loved ones many cherished memories. Bonnie was a very loving, proud, and devoted mother and grandmother, always making time and sacrifices for her children’s endeavors and recognizing and celebrating their life achievements with great enthusiasm. Bonnie was also a talented artist, and exuberantly supported her children and grandchildren in their artistic endeavors. Bonnie loved spending time with her grandchildren. She read stories to them, taught them to harvest blueberries and tomatoes from her beautiful backyard garden, planted flowers with them, and was always ready to cook and share her delicious Italian-inspired recipes. Her famous chocolate chip cookies were a family favorite she enjoyed making for everyone she knew and loved. She shared her love of animals with her children and grandchildren, giving them the enriching experience of raising parakeets, guinea pigs, and bunnies, housed in hutches and aviaries she built herself. Bonnie was a Master Gardener and loved her glorious garden, which was always blooming with an abundance of hydrangeas and roses, vegetables, and fruit trees. Bonnie deeply appreciated her lovely East Sacramento childhood home, a place where she spent both the first and last years of her life making enduring memories with her beloved mother, and later, with her grandchildren.

Bonnie was a beautiful woman of faith and a devout Catholic. She and Kent were active members of St. Isidore Catholic Church in Yuba City for many years while their children were growing up. Upon moving back to Sacramento in their retirement years, they became actively involved in St. Mary’s Parish in East Sacramento. Diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the fall of 2021, Bonnie never lost faith or gave up hope in the goodness of the Lord and His ability to work miracles, even in the last days of her battle with cancer. Her generous and selfless acts of service for family members and friends, and gracious disposition towards hospital staff members and nurses, were always accompanied by her radiant smile and lovable sense of humor. Bonnie had an innate ability to make anyone feel loved, supported, and encouraged when talking to them. She was a true example of sacrificial giving everyday of her life. She always strove to make her home a place of warmth, beauty, and hospitality for anyone who would pay a call. Bonnie touched the lives of so many, and will be dearly missed by her devoted husband and children, adoring grandchildren, and many dear friends and neighbors. She left us all a legacy of faith, hope and trust in God’s providence and His loving plan.

Bonnie’s visitation vigil service will be held on Wednesday, November 16^th from 7-9 pm. at St. Mary Catholic Church. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on November 17^th at St. Stephen the First Martyr Catholic Church, with rosary beginning at 9:30 a.m. The graveside service and burial will follow at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery. A funeral luncheon and reception for family and friends will follow, held at St. Mary Parish Giovanni Hall.

Memorial donations may be made to Pro-Life organizations, such as American Life League, in Bonnie’s loving memory.