Bonnie Duncan Peters

1919 - 2017

BORN

1919

DIED

2017

Bonnie Peters Obituary

Name: Celebration of Life for Bonnie Duncan Peters
Start: 2017-07-06T02:00:00.000Z
Location: Lake Forest Park Civic Club

Bonnie Duncan Peters

Bonnie Duncan Peters, aged 97, died peacefully among family at home in Lake Forest Park on June 17. She was born Bonnie Louise Brunswick on November 1, 1919, the daughter of Herman and Winnie (nee Brannon) Brunswick. Bonnie grew up in Columbia City where she attended Columbia Elementary School until 1932, then Franklin High School, graduating in 1936. She studied at the University of Washington from 1937, graduating with a B.A. in 1942. During that time she worked at the UW library and then at the Seattle Public Library (Columbia Branch). She worked briefly for Alaska Travel Control in 1942-43 then joined The Seattle Times in the Information Bureau, known as the morgue, where she remained until 1948. In this role she was responsible for answering readers' questions on all manner of subjects. In later years she liked to say she was the Google of her day. To the end of her life she retained a range of general knowledge second to none.

In August 1942 Bonnie married Rea Eugene Duncan and together they had three sons: Mark, Kirk, and Bret. Rea worked as a marine biologist and systems analyst. His work took the family to Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1960-62, then to Santa Maria, California, in 1962. Rea died in September 1970 and the family moved back to Seattle in 1971.

In 1986 Bonnie attended the Franklin High 50th reunion where she met Frank August Peters (Pete), a lawyer, who she had dated in high school. They dated again, and were married in July 1988. Pete died in January 2003.

Bonnie was interested in almost everything and continued to educate herself throughout her life. She read widely and was generous in sharing what she learned, always remembering other people's interests. She has left a legacy of thousands of clippings, information "you might want to look up someday." She continued to play golf with the Wayne Club ladies into her eighties, did basket weaving as long as the arthritis in her hands permitted, and continued her genealogy research by correspondence and internet into her last weeks. She was a prolific letter writer with beautiful penmanhip, but adapted readily to email and Skype in her later years. Her great joy was spending time in her yard among the trees and watching the progress of the seasons. It is fitting that her last Spring was a rich colorful one.

Bonnie's humor and generosity of spirit will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She is survived by sons Mark, Kirk, and Bret; daughters-in-law Anna, Mary Claire, and Lyn; grandchildren Sam, Michael, Kate, Ian, Lydia, and Paul; great grandson Charles Austin; grandson-in-law Charlie; grand daughter-in-law Sumi; grand daughter-in-law Liz; double cousin Bruce; nephew Bob and his wife Teri; and many friends and neighbors.

A memorial celebration and reception will be held at 7:00 pm, July 5, at the Lake Forest Park Civic Club, 17301 Beach Drive NE.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Seattle Times on Jun. 25, 2017.

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June 27, 2017

I was very sad to hear that Bonnie had passed away. I was her neighbor here in LFP and always enjoyed seeing her at our street parties. My sympathy and heart felt condolences to her family. She was a good soul!

Pam, Jeff and Peter McCollough

June 25, 2017

Frank Peters' marriage to Bonnie in 1986 proved her to be a wonderful addition to hia family. Her shared interest in gardening, nature, fishing, hiking and the history of her beloved home was a wonderful gift of shared affection with Frank's only niece Pam McCollough and his grandnephews Michael Jeffrey McCollough and Carl Peter McCollough. She was not only a wonderful gift to the Peters' and Peters' McCollough family but also to the many young people who she shared our outings to the mountains and shore, as well as she and Pam happily puttering in her garden when not enjoying the rides to wherever piqued their interest whether long runs to the shore, the river or the mountains. She is still alive in our hearts and will always be with us as we see her in the many wonderful places and visits we have share over the years.

At the Rainier Valley "Hysterical" Society Annual meeting!

Bob Brunswick

June 25, 2017

It's difficult to put such a full, amazing life, lived with amazing "verve" (Aunt Bonnie would like that word.....(21 down)! When life was hectic, stressful or depressing, Teri and I would take a "Bonnie Break" and recharge in her calm peaceful presence surrounded by almost 100 years of memories, books and collections along with the ever-present crossword puzzle nearing it's inevitable completion! Words can't express how much Teri and I will miss her! (I hope my grammar and spelling is correct, Aunt Bonnie!)

Diane Durall

June 25, 2017

Bonnie was a friend of my mother, Bernice Durall. They were fellow graduates of Franklin High in 1936 and both faithfully attended and helped with the reunions, planning lunches, etc. throughout the years. I remember Bonnie well at the 70th reunion as well as at reunion luncheons at Ivar's Salmon House for all the classes in the 1930s. My mother passed in 2012, but I was so glad to see Bonnie at some Rainier Valley Historical events. She was always so "quietly friendly" and kind. I recall my mother saying how Bonnie was so smart and how she graduated at a younger age than her classmates and then she would add how nice and kind Bonnie always was.

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