Obituary of Charlotte Bonner

Charlotte Bonner, 96, of Bend, Oregon, formerly of Macks Creek, departed this life on Friday, April 28, 2017 at St. Charles Health System, Bend, Oregon. 

Charlotte was born May 16, 1920 in Kirksville, Missouri, the daughter of Elmer D. and Neva Lynn (Miller)Harpham. 

On November 23, 1940 in Lebanon, Missouri, she was united in marriage to Ross S. Creach, who preceded her in death on December 12, 1943.  He died while serving as a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper. The section of US 54 between Camdenton and Macks Creek is named in his honor. She later married William Floyd Bonner on May 5, 1951 in Joplin, Missouri.  He preceded her in death on November 10, 1982. 

Charlotte is survived by her sons, William Ross Creach and wife, Cheryl, of Redmond, Oregon; Mike Bonner and wife, Carol, of Macks Creek, Missouri; Dr. Mark Bonner, M. D. of Warner Robins, Georgia; and Major James Bonner, USMC, (Ret.) and wife, Diana, of Norco, California; her sister, Dorothy Whitten of Boonville, Missouri; daughters-in-law Mary Creach of Columbia, Missouri, and Ulrike Creach of Fremont, California,  nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; along with other relatives and friends. 

She was preceded in death by her parents Elmer and Neva Lynn Harpham; her husbands, Ross S. Creach and William Floyd Bonner; her son Rickey S. Creach; and two sisters, Mary Willey and Neva Dee Brown. 

Charlotte attended Central Missouri State College and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Northeastern Missouri State College, now known as Truman State University.  She received her Masters of Science degree in Counseling from California Lutheran University.

Charlotte enjoyed a career of teaching in the Missouri and California public school systems for 53 years.  She was a teacher at Macks Creek High School and Camdenton High School from 1955 to 1965. She then began teaching at San Fernando High School, San Fernando, California where she became a College Counselor.  She was particularly proud of the work she did in getting minority students to consider attending college.  One of her students, whom she helped to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is California’s current Secretary of State.  Another of her students attended the University of Southern California, where he won the Heisman Trophy.  Her counseling work was honored by an article in the Los Angeles Times. 

She was a member of First Baptist Church in Macks Creek, Missouri. 

Charlotte was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Fernanda Maria Chapter, where she held positions as Chaplain and Regent.  At the end of her second term as Regent she was the oldest chapter officer, at 92, in California.  She was also a member of Eastern Star Lodge 20 in Macks Creek for over 65 years. 

Visitation will be held Saturday, May 13, 2017 from 12:00 - 1:30 pm at First Baptist Church in Macks Creek, Missouri. Easter Star Services will begin at 1:30, followed by funeral services at the church. 

Interment will follow at Macks Creek Cemetery, Macks Creek, Missouri. 

The family requests that a contribution to the Lena Creach Scholarship Fund be made in lieu of flowers.  The contribution should be made “In memory of Charlotte Bonner/Lena Creach Scholarship” and sent to Macks Creek School District, Macks Creek, Missouri 65786.