William "J" James Bonner, Jr
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J's obituary
William James “J” Bonner, Jr.
J passed away peacefully on Monday, April 10, 2023, at home in Indianapolis, IN from cancer. He was 73.
J was born June 13, 1949, in Sewickley, PA, the eldest child of William James and Mary Ann (Parton) Bonner. A graduate of Coraopolis High School (’67) and the University of Notre Dame (’71) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, he was a self-employed manufacturer’s rep for most of his career. He was a hard worker, provided well for his family, and made sacrifices to send his children to 13 years of Catholic school and college.
J was a founding member of The Rotary Club of Sewickley in 1987. He enjoyed genealogy and extensively researched the Bonner family history – particularly his Irish heritage. He was incredibly proud of his university alma mater and spent his Saturdays watching (critiquing?) the Fighting Irish. Prior to his retirement J was instrumental in founding the OLSH Track & Field team and coached Track and Cross Country at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School (OLSH) for 13 years. He was inducted into the OLSH Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022. In his retirement, he could be found hitting the links at first light on Tuesdays and Thursdays followed by a much-earned afternoon nap.
In addition to his parents, J was preceded in death by two brothers, Mark R. Bonner and Kevin J. Bonner, and an infant brother, Gregory C. Bonner.
J is survived by his wife of 42 years, Kim (Cua) Bonner, his four children, Liam (Meredith) Bonner, Erin Kennedy, Meghan Bonner, Caitie (Eli) Kristek, his sister MaryEllen (Tom) Pendel, six grandchildren (Sam, Charlie, Josie, Ollie, Alice, and Anna), and many additional extended family members including aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A funeral mass will be held at the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish – St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church (1304 4th Ave, Coraopolis, PA 15108) on Saturday, August 26 at 10:00 AM with a reception to follow in Healy Hall. Additional opportunities to celebrate J’s life include the "Run Your Ass Off 5K" on Friday, August 25th at 6:30 PM at the Montour Trail, Coraopolis, and the Notre Dame vs Navy game watch live from Dublin, Ireland on Saturday, August 26th at 2:30 PM at Jabby Joe’s (1562 Island Ave McKees Rocks, PA 15136).
A donation to the OLSH Cross Country program is preferred in lieu of flowers. http://bit.ly/452ad4p
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