Bonnie Fullmer
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Bonnie was born November 9, 1943 on a blustery winter day in Blackfoot, Idaho to Golden and Winnona Elison. Her dad had to sell pigs just to pay for her hospital bill. She grew up on the family farm in Blackfoot where she loved riding horses, raking the hay and doing various farm chores beside her father. It was hard dirty work, but she absolutely loved it.
Bonnie loved school and loved to learn. She was president of the Pep Club, graduated in the top of her class and would have participated in girls' athletics had they been offered. She loved to tell the stories of how she could beat the boys in her school in a foot race. While in high school Bonnie meet her sweetheart, Frank J. Fullmer. He was a year older and afraid to lose her, so he put an engagement ring on her finger at the beginning of her senior year.
Bonnie graduated in May from Blackfoot High School and was married to Frank on July 27, 1962, in the Idaho Falls Temple. The couple then moved to Boise, Idaho and attended Boise Junior College where Frank was playing basketball. They then moved to Provo in 1963, where they both attended and graduated from Brigham Young University. After completing her student teaching at Orem Junior High their first son Kyle was born. They then moved to Del Rio, Texas, where Frank completed his pilot training, and they welcomed their second child, Kurt. The military transferred them to Warner Robbins, Georgia, where they bought their first home. It was here that both Kory and Kamille where born. After Frank's service in Vietnam the couple moved to South Carolina where they meet life long friends. After the birth of their youngest daughter, Kandice, they moved to Okinawa, Japan. They lived there for two and a half years where they enjoyed the opportunity to live in a foreign country as a family.
Frank left active military and they moved to Boise, Idaho where Bonnie began her teaching career. She first taught at Parma Middle School, then Lowell Scott Middle School and finished her teaching career teaching sophomore and AP English at Centennial High School. In 1980, they moved to Middleton and built their home that Bonnie said she would never leave.
Bonnie loved her students and loved to teach. She had a tremendous impact on the lives of many young people. She was not just a teacher but also a "mom" to many others in her life. Serving in the community and her church was very important to her. Bonnie was a very active member in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She served in numerous leadership positions and treasured her time as a temple worker. She also served a mission in the Columbia, South Carolina mission with her husband serving the soldiers at Fort Jackson.
The most important things to Bonnie were her family and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Bonnie loved her children and grandchild with all her heart. She remembered them all on every holiday, always giving them personalized gifts. She loved to support them, never missing her children's athletic events and activities. She continued that support for her grandchildren as long she physically could.
Bonnie passed away on Friday February 24, 2023 from metastatic breast cancer, at her home surrounded by her family. She is preceded in death by her parents Golden and Winnona Elison. She is survived by her husband, Frank, and her children, Kyle (Anne), Kurt (Julie), Kory (Ronda), Kamille Crawford (Justin), Kandice Compas (David), 19 grandchildren and currently 14 great grandchildren with more on the way. She is also survived by sisters Joan (Jim) Thompson, and Linda (Max) Collard and numerous cousins, and nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life for Bonnie will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday March 4, 2023 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building located at 309 West Main Street in Middleton. There will be a viewing at 9:30-10:45 am.