Bonnie Elizabeth Phillips

1938 - 2025

Old Mystic - Bonnie Elizabeth Payer Phillips, 86, loving wife, mother, and grandmother, died peacefully at home in Old Mystic, Jan. 31, 2025, surrounded by her devoted children.

Bonnie was born July 5, 1938, in Allentown, Pa., the fourth child of Harold Stephen Payer and Verna Briggs MacLeod. She spent most of her childhood in Bethlehem, Pa., with summers on the Jersey Shore, enjoying horseback riding, swimming, sailing, playing tennis, and spending time with her siblings and friends. As a teenager, Bonnie moved to Danville, Pa. where she graduated from Danville High School in 1956. She attended Colby Junior College for Women, in New London, N.H., earning an Associate of Arts degree in 1958. Bonnie's education continued in New York City, where she embarked on coursework at Columbia Presbyterian School of Nursing.

In the spring of 1959, Bonnie was invited by a fellow nursing student to join her on a double date. It was then that Bonnie met the love of her life, a handsome naval officer, Nicolas Guthrie Phillips. Bonnie and Nick fell in love, and they were married Feb. 21, 1960. Their first home was near the naval base in Charleston, S.C. where they welcomed their first child, Johanna. Nick resigned his commission in the Navy and brought his wife and infant daughter to southeastern Connecticut where three sons, David, Stephen, and Paul, soon joined the family. While Nick worked as a shipwright superintendent at Electric Boat, Bonnie was a devoted stay-at-home mother, volunteering in her children's classrooms, leading a Brownie troop, becoming a Cub Scout den mother, and shuttling four children to and from their many activities in and around Mystic, Groton, and Stonington. In 1974, while the children were still young, Bonnie and Nick built a house for their family on Mason's Island in Mystic. They shared a love of sailing and enjoyed many hours with their crew of four, first aboard their 19-foot Corinthian "Deep Six" and then their Yankee 28 "Swamp Fox."

Bonnie and Nick were married for 54 years, during which they enjoyed many adventures, until his death in 2014. Nick's career in manufacturing engineering took them from Connecticut to Florida, Texas, Vermont, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas (again). Nick retired in 2003, and they returned to southeastern Connecticut, resettling in Old Mystic. Through the many moves, Bonnie plunged herself into each new community with enthusiasm and a tremendous spirit of volunteerism. Among some of her accomplishments was serving as activities director at Mount Ascutney Hospital in Windsor, Vt.; working as an independent Mary Kay Consultant in Louisville, Colo.; working in sales and marketing for the New Mexico Repertory Theater in Albuquerque, N.M.; becoming President of the Twin Plant Women's Association in El Paso, Texas; and chairing the Annual Greens Sale for the Mystic Garden Club. When time allowed, Bonnie and Nick enjoyed skiing in Vermont and Colorado, vacationing on the beaches in Mexico, traveling to England and Scotland, and eventually sailing again on the waters of Fishers Island Sound. As an adult, Bonnie stayed quite athletic: rekindling her love of horseback riding, playing on USTA tennis teams, and she always was eager for a competitive round of croquet. She was a past member of the Ram Island Yacht Club, the Mason's Island Yacht Club, and the Mystic Garden Club. She was a parishioner at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Mystic and frequently attended Mass at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption at St. Edmund's Retreat on Ender's Island.

Bonnie was a lifelong arts enthusiast who enjoyed attending concerts and theater performances. She loved music and dancing. In her youth, she and her brothers received lessons in ballroom dancing, and once she won a Charleston contest. In later years, she and Nick enjoyed learning line dances and the Texas Two-Step. What many might not have known about Bonnie was that she wrote poetry. She commemorated each significant event in her life with a poem, some that she set to music.

In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her son, David Guthrie Phillips; her three brothers, Harold S. Payer Jr., Stephen C. Payer, and Raymond V. Payer; her sister-in-law Patricia Phillips Bernhard; as well as her close friend and companion Mark A. Turner. She is survived by her sister Verna Payer Buchs of Winter Park, Fla.; and three sisters-in-law, Joyce H. Payer of Stonington, Judith G. Payer of Ivoryton, and Elizabeth F. Payer of Liverpool, N.Y. Bonnie also leaves her daughter Johanna (Warren) Phillips-Clark of Mystic and Acton, Mass.; her son Stephen (Jean) Phillips of Damariscotta, Maine; and her son Paul (Tracy) Phillips of Ledyard. She will be dearly remembered as "Bebe" by her grandchildren, Emily and John Clark, Katherine and Walker Phillips, Calum (Orion) Phillips, and Elizabeth Phillips. She also leaves several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The Phillips family would like to thank the Masonicare Home Health & Hospice team for the care Bonnie received at the end of her life. Burial at Elm Grove Cemetery will be private. A Celebration of Life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 10, 2025, at the Mason's Island Yacht Club.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bonnie's name to the Mystic Seaport Museum or the Mystic & Noank Library.

The Dinoto Funeral Home is assisting the family.