Anna Bay

Anna May Hochstedler Bonner Bay, age 89, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family as they prayed and sung hymns. She was born on November 6, 1935, in Osceola, Missouri to Roy L. Hochstedler and Lela Myrtle (Squire) Hochstedler. She grew up in Osceola, spending some of her early years in Kansas City, Missouri. Her father spent most of his adult years as a diary farmer, and while in Kansas City at a bakery.
Anna was the eighth of nine children, six sons and 3 daughters. Several of her brothers served in the military, in World War II and Korea. She accepted Christ as her savior while in her teens.
After Anna graduated from Osceola High School at 17 years old, she went to Kansas City, Missouri. While there, she was working at the candy counter of Katz Drugstore, where she met Thomas H. Bonner from Macks Creek, Missouri. They fell in love soon after and married November 29, 1953, at the Bible College near Macks Creek. They had both just had their 18th birthday.
Not long after their wedding, Tom enlisted in the US Air Force. Their first child, Angela Denise, was born in December 1954 in San Antonio, TX. After moving to Ent AFB, Colorado Springs, CO, their second daughter Anna Christine was born in November 1955.
Tom Received orders to England (Mildenhall and Laken heath) in 1956 and Anna and their two daughters followed him there a few months later.
After spending 2.5 years in England, the family of four returned to the states for an assignment in Little Rock, Arkansas.
A few more Air Force Assignments followed. After some years, Tom and Anna decided he should leave the Air Force to complete his college degree before returning to the Air Force through Officer Cadet School.
The family returned to the Kansas City area, where Tom attended William Jewel College. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. While there, two more daughters were born, Valerie Faye in 1961, and Laurie Lynn in 1963.
Tom re-entered the Air Force in 1963 as a second Lieutenant and was given an assignment at Hamilton AFS, near San Francisco, CA. From there, he received an assignment to Vietnam. Anna and girls returned to her home in Osceola, MO while Tom served in Saigon and Pleiku.
After Tom served nearly 13 months in Vietnam, the family traveled to Keesler AFB in Mississippi. Their next assignment was to Offutt AFB near Omaha, NE. While there Anna gave birth to their only son Thomas H. Bonner, Jr. in January 1970.
From Omaha, the family returned to central California, Vandenberg AFB. After receiving word of his father's failing health, the family traveled back to Missouri, to Richards-Gebauer AFB, near Grandview, MO. There was the last AF assignment, retiring in 1977.
After the AF retirement, Tom, Anna and the family returned to CA, eventually returning to MO, where Tom served as a pastor of several churches.
After 61 years of marriage, Tom passed away from health issues (many attributed to his exposure to agent orange in Vietnam) in January 2015.
After losing Tom, Anna suffered terrible loneliness. God provided her a high school classmate and friend Jack Bay of Boliver, MO, who had also lost his spouse.
Anna and Jack married on the first day of Spring, March 2018. They divided their time between Phoenix, AZ and Boliver, MO. When Anna's health began to fail, she entered an assisted living facility.
She joined Jesus, as well as Tom Sr, and her beloved family members, her six brothers, 2 sisters, their parents, her niece and 3 nephews, who had preceded her.
She leaves behind her four daughters Angela Coburn (Maune) of California, Anna Christine Shepard (Richard) of Illinois, Valerie Horner (George) of Arizonia, Laurie Nickless (Mark) of Missouri; son Tom Bonner (Athena) of Missouri; fourteen grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She also leaves behind countless friends and acquaintances who were all touched by her kindness and love.
Friends will be received on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. - 12:00, with Funeral Services following at 12:00 at the First Baptist Church in Macks Creek, 12972 Hwy 54. Burial will be at Macks Creek Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made to the family to assist with funeral expenses. Checks can be made to Tom Bonner, %Hedges-Scott-Millard Funeral Homes, 1270 S. Business Route 5, Camdenton MO 65020.
Arrangements are under the direction of Hedges-Scott-Millard Funeral Homes, 1270 S Business Route 5, Camdenton, MO 65020 (573) 346-2090. Condolences may be left online for the family at www.hedgesscottmillard.com.