Bonnie Swansbrough

1946 - 2016

Bonnie "Brid" Swansbrough passed away on Sunday, August 21, 2016, at Mesilla Valley Hospice after reaching her 70th birthday. She was surrounded by loving family as she departed this world. She was born on August 9, 1946, to Naomi Wray Swansbrough and Albert Raymond Swansbrough in Chicago, Illinois.Bonnie graduated from Lakewood High School, and received her B.A. in Social Ecology from the University of California at Irvine in 1982. Interested in genealogy and her family's lineage, Bonnie traced her family's roots back centuries. In 2000, she organized and held a worldwide family reunion at the "Swanborough Tump" in England, which was one of her proudest achievements. Bonnie worked as a computer systems manager for California State University's Chancellor's Office HQ in Long Beach, Calif., for many years, retiring in 2001. She moved to Las Cruces, N.M., while retraining as a Clinical Hypnotherapist. She ran her own clinic in town for two years. Since 1984, she devoted her time off and on as an advocate and player in the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA). Adopting the pseudonym Brid ui Chon na Mara, Bonnie was honored for her service to the SCA with the equivalent of city, county, and national awards that recognized her contributions, generosity, and dedication. Bonnie was also a devoted animal lover; she rescued dozens of abused animals over the years, and shelties held a special place in her heart. While in Las Cruces, Bonnie became active with her church, St. Andrews Episcopal. She volunteered in many areas of the church, both technologically and spiritually, and enjoyed assisting her priest and friend, Father Scott. Bonnie is survived by her daughter Christie Kimberly Gonzales, her adopted daughter Adrian Hern, her niece Christy Swansbrough Gleason, her nephew James Raymond Swansbrough, her brother Allen Raymond Swansbrough, her sister-in-law Mary Macris Swansbrough, and her dog April. She is preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Bob Swansbrough.
Bonnie was a rebel, traveler, dancer, camper, entertainer, troubleshooter, troublemaker, teacher, student, acolyte, and lover of God, family, friends, strangers, and life. She will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held at 11am on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Las Cruces. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to either of her two favorite organizations:
• St. Andrews Church
518 N. Alameda Blvd., Las Cruces, NM, 88005
http://saintandrewslc.org
• Rocky Mountain Collie & Sheltie Rescue, Inc.
234 South Hacienda Del Sol Drive, Pueblo West, CO, 81007
http://colliesheltierescue.org