Bonnie W. Harris passed away at age 91 on July 5, 2020. Bonnie Lee Whitt was born on January 1, 1929 in Ashland, KY to Emzie and Mary Brown Whitt. She was the youngest of nine children all predeceased: Marie Whitt, Carl Whitt, Lorraine Whitt, George Whitt, Ruby Whitt, Vena Whitt, Edith Whitt and Bob Whitt
Bonnie was married to Wesley H. Harris on June 28, 1953. They had three children, Lucilyn Denton, predeceased March 1999, Bruce H. Harris and Lori A. Harris. Their grandchildren are Sarah Long Denton, Derrick W. Briel, Jessica Nicole Anna Harris and Candice J. Georgis. Their great grandchildren are Justin Long, Andrew Long, Matthew Long, Lucas Long and Austin Marshall.
Bonnie and Wesley met at Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, KY. Wesley became an ordained minister and they partnered throughout their lives in ministry to the Lord and life-long members and associated with southern Baptist churches which included: Unity Baptist Church, Ashland, KY; Belmont Baptist church, Ashland, KY; Welsh Memorial Baptist Church, Frostburg, MD; West Lanham Hills Baptist Church in Lanham Hills, MD; Carrollan Woods Baptist Church, New Carrollton, MD; Harford Road Baptist Church, Baltimore, MD; Maryland City Baptist Church, Laurel, MD; Haines Creek Baptist Church, Leesburg, FL; Montverde Baptist Church, Montverde, FL and Tri County Baptist Church, Lady Lake, FL. While Wesley was the pastor, Bonnie was fully and deeply involved in the ministry serving in the capacities as church pianist, church organist and women’s Sunday school teacher. Church and serving Christ was the center of her life.
Bonnie graduated from Boyd County High School in Ashland, KY in 1946 and began college at Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY where she completed two years of education. Immediately thereafter, Bonnie secured a job as an English and Social Studies teacher at McKell High School in South Shore, KY. She then returned to Georgetown College and completed the following two years of college earning a degree in teaching. She continued her education and attended Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union Training School in Louisville, KY.
In Bonnie’s career as a teacher, she specialized in English and reading. She taught at Robert Goddard Junior High School in Lanham, MD; Herring Run Junior High in Baltimore City, MD; and finishing her career at a Baltimore City High School. Bonnie loved teaching and her students and had a satisfying career.
Bonnie and Wesley moved to Orange Blossom Gardens, Lady Lake, FL in 1990. They bought a small modular home which they expanded and created into a beautiful and quaint, cozy home. They lived there until 2011 when Wesley passed away. Bonnie then moved in with Lori, and her husband, Ted at their home in Clermont, FL, where she lived several years. In 2014 she moved into The Benton House in Clermont, a senior citizen’s home. After declining in health, she returned to live with Lori and her husband. In November 2018, Bonnie’s last home was Lakeshore Manor in Clermont, FL. Lakeshore Manor was exemplary in their care of Bonnie. Louella, one of her caregivers, took extraordinary care of Bonnie. They loved each other and bonded as if Bonnie was her own grandmother, and Bonnie, back to her as well.
