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John Bonner Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for John Bonner
2 Entries
August 23, 2009
I first met John when I managed a Container Freight Station (CFS Corp) in Oakland in the mid eighties. At the time John or one of his employees (Don, Dale and others) would regularly survey loads of frozen meat, oversize cargo or any of the many commodities we were shipping primarily to the Far East. Business was pretty good back then for Bonner and Associates as most of the steamship lines we worked for required surveys of most loads.
On one occasion, perhaps because we were working a Saturday, I had my youngest son Keegan at work with me who was about a year old at the time. John seemed to thoroughly enjoy watching the little boy walk around the small office we had, bottle in his mouth, usually smiling at everybody he interacted with. Since John and his staff always had cameras to take photos for work, John quietly snapped a photo of my son. Some days later, he gave me a framed picture of Keegan, looking directly at the camera, slouched in an office chair, baby bottle in mouth, which John entitled "CFS Manager's Coffee break". I still have the framed picture.
CFS Corp closed in 1994 and I moved onto other work where I didn't have reason to do business with John and his company. I'd still see him around Oakland though, usually at industry functions or when he was with Bernard at their regular Friday afternoon lunch. He usually greeted me with a characteristic and bright "Hello Willum!". We always spent a few minutes on those occasions catching up with each other. From word of mouth from others, I knew that business was not as good for John Bonner and Associates as in the past, but John never complained.
I last saw him 4 years ago when a group of us got together for dinner at Slanted Door in SF.
John was a class guy: kind, generous, and gracious. I will especially miss his laugh. I wish I had kept up with him. My condolences to the family. The service you put on Saturday was a touching tribute. Bill Niland
Stella Trudeau
August 18, 2009
I was Johns house keeper for approximately five years, he was one of the most considerate people in my business. I am very touched by his sudden departure and will always remember him with respect and appreciation of his patronage over the years.
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