Bonita Lynne Bender-Klosson

06/26/1948 - 10/02/2025

Bonita "Boni" Lynne Bender-Klosson, a retired Foreign Service secretary, passed away peacefully on October 2, 2025, in Rockville, Maryland. She was 77.
A loving mother, doting grandmother, devoted wife, skilled Foreign Service professional, creative designer, master organizer, ardent animal lover and world traveler, Ms. Bender-Klosson was born in Aiea, Hawaii in 1948, and spent her earliest years in Honolulu and Samoa before her family settled in Redwood City, California. Ms. Bender-Klosson graduated from Woodside High School in 1966 and obtained an Associate of Arts degree from Canada College in 1973.
Her almost three decades in the Foreign Service saw assignments to U.S. Embassies in India, Greece, the USSR, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands as well as the Department of State in Washington, DC where she served both on the fast-paced Secretariat Staff and the Secretary of State's personal staff. Ms. Bender-Klosson was most proud of the recognition she received from Secretary Shultz for her work and her "terpsichorean" abilities when he took time out with the staff for dancing.
Ms. Bender-Klosson married Michael Klosson, a Foreign Service officer, in June 1990 and became stepmother to Michael's daughter Emily. They adopted their second daughter Karen through an odyssey to Bolivia in 1994. Ms. Bender-Klosson displayed a creative flair for elaborate, themed birthday parties for their children and memorable dinner table decorations. Accompanying Michael to Hong Kong and Cyprus, Ms. Bender-Klosson involved herself in their daughter's schools, chaired the local American women's associations and made significant contributions to the U.S. missions' representation initiatives. Back in their Rockville, Maryland home in 2005, Ms. Bender-Klosson leveraged her creative design and organizational skills for such projects as chairing the Rockville High School after-prom party Decoration Committee in 2010 and organizing the Flower Valley House and Garden tour.
Ms. Bender-Klosson enjoyed travel, visiting over fifty countries. She was a keen animal lover, skilled artist, talented interior designer, and enjoyed tennis, skiing, music, and dancing. Above all, Ms. Bender-Klosson with her radiant smile conveyed a special warmth toward all, making everyone – in the words of a friend – "feel like they've known her since second grade."
Ms. Bender-Klosson is survived by her devoted husband of 35 years, Michael Klosson; her children Emily C. Robbins (and spouse Nate Robbins) and Karen L. B. Klosson; her grandson Wyatt L.C. Robbins; and her brother Harold F. Bender (spouse Lynda Bender). Services will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Ms. Bender-Klosson's memory to Lucky Dog Animal Rescue (Arlington VA) or the Alzheimer's Association.
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