Bonnie Wilson, 80, of Mt. Pleasant, formerly of Burlington, passed away following asthma and heart complications on January 9, 2021.
She had a welcoming heart, a green thumb, an eye–and handy knack–for interior design, and was known to be the life of the party. She was a talented seamstress, a basketball supporter who made many trips to Hutchinson, Kansas, with her husband, Wallace, a faithful Christian, and a lifelong Democrat. She was lovingly known as “Ba” to many.
Bonnie was born to Roy Cannon and Anna LaFrance (Shelton) Hammack on September 23, 1940, the second of four children. She graduated from Elsberry High School in 1958. Shortly after graduation, Bonnie met the love of her life, Wallace W. Wilson. She chased him until he caught her. The couple married on December 26, 1959.
In 1961, the Wilsons welcomed daughter Monie. The family of three moved to the Quad Cities and then to Burlington. Bonnie worked a variety of jobs, including at Great River Medical Center in its previous iterations, and Sherwin Williams.
She loved spending time with her granddaughters, family trips, and going to the annual Wilson family reunion. She went back to college in midlife and received her teaching degree from Iowa Wesleyan College. Mrs. Wilson taught science at Burlington High School. She attended many of her granddaughters’ basketball and soccer games, where other players and their parents always knew she was in the stands when they heard her signature “Woo woo!” and “Maya Paya!”
She is survived by daughter Dr. Monie Hayes of Mt. Pleasant; granddaughters Sally Hart (Will) of Washington, IA, and Maya Hayes of Coralville; sister Susan Evans of Higginsville, MO; and great-granddaughter Zara Hart.
She is preceded in death by her husband Wallace Wilson, son-in-law Russ Hayes, siblings Charles Hammack and Nancy Rimel, and her parents.
A private service will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, January 16, 2020. Burial will be later this year in the LaBelle Cemetery in LaBelle, Missouri. The service will be livestreamed on Powell Funeral Homes Facebook page and at www.powellfuneralhomes.com. The Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel is caring for Bonnie and her family.