J Bonner Ritchie

J Bonner Ritchie was born May 16, 1935 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Arvilla and Horace Ritchie. Bonner spent his early years in Heber City, Utah. At age 12, his family made the dramatic move to San Francisco, California to create better opportunities for the family. Bonner loved to tell stories of his youth in San Francisco.

Bonner served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Eastern States Mission from 1955 to 1957 with significant time in New York City. He completed his bachelors degree and PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. In the Bay Area he met Dolores Chase and they married in 1959. They went to Germany for his US Army service where their first child Marcelyn was born in Kaiserslautern in 1961. After returning to California, son Marc was born in Berkeley in 1966.

Bonner taught at the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1973. Bonner worked in the civil rights movement both in Michigan and in the South with his graduate students and community leaders. Bonner was bishop of the Ann Arbor Ward and prided himself on his efforts to be inclusive of those on the margins.

The family moved to Orem, Utah in 1973 when Bonner took a position at the new organizational behavior department at Brigham Young University. There he mentored hundreds of graduate students, many of whom became lifelong friends. During this time he was introduced to the people and issues of Palestine and the Middle East which led to many teaching positions in the West Bank, Jordan and the region. He developed a love of the Palestinian people, mentoring many students and being an informal ambassador for that oppressed community.

After Bonner's marriage to Dolores ended, he married Lois Ann Mills Young in 1982. He became a father figure and loving support to her two children Kristy and Steven Young. Lois was a devoted partner in marriage as well as in teaching with him around the world.

Bonner retired from BYU in 2000 and his final work chapter was at Utah Valley University where he was interim dean of the business school and taught classes on ethics and organizations. Bonner's publications will soon be posted at jbonnerritchie.org.

Relationships are what Bonner valued most, especially supporting individuals over organizations and the marginalized over those with power. Bonner was especially proud of his four children and nine grandchildren who were the joy of his life. His last week was spent in his beloved Provo home, where a parade of friends and family came to visit and pay tribute to their mentor, friend, father, grandfather and more.

Bonner is survived by his brother Russell (MaryAnn); his children Marcelyn Ritchie (Keith Bartholomew), Marc Coles-Ritchie (Marilee), Kristy Young Cherrington (David Cherrington) and Steven Young (Cari), and grandchildren Elan Bartholomew, Aidan Coles-Ritchie, Emilia Coles- Ritchie, Kelcy Cherrington Mueller, Robert Cherrington, Bailey Cherrington, Sean Young, Madison Young, and Isabelle Young; and a number of nephews, nieces and other loving

relatives, including Tiffany, mother of Sean and Madison.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, November 4, 2024 at 11:00 am at the LDS chapelon 925 N Temple Dr, Provo, Utah.