On Saturday, 28 November 2020, Francis George Bonavia, 94 years old, passed away in Sonora, California.
He was born on Sunday, 21 February 1926 in Sonora, California and was the son of Angelo Bonavia and Eleanor (Grofignia) Bonavia.
Francis graduated from Sonora High School Class of 1943.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II and was aboard a ship bound for Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped. The ship was diverted to the Philippines.
Francis later acknowledged that if not for that sudden assignment change, he may not have survived the war and was honorably discharged in 1946.
He had a love for horses and entered several local rodeos and in 1952 and won the Tuolumne County Bareback Riding Championship buckle that remained a prized possession to him for the rest of his life.
Francis married a widow, Peggy, in 1957 and became an instant father with three young daughters under the age of six. He raised his three stepdaughters as if they were his own, giving them the same love and attention that he gave the one daughter that was born to him and Peggy, Casey Lee.
After a divorce and a brief stint as a bachelor, Francis found his match. He and the late Gail Bonavia were married in 1971 and together built Rancho di Bellafortuna, a horse boarding and training facility, on part of the Bonavia property.
Mr. Bonavia is survived by his daughter, Casey Lee Bonavia, his sister, Ethel (Bonavia) Burgess, his stepdaughters, Lynn Dee Humphrey, Kelly Shepard and Paula Vierra.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Angelo Bonavia and Eleanor (Grofignia) Bonavia, his wife of 50 years of marriage, Gail Bonavia, stepdaughter, Laurie Humphrey, his siblings, Sylvester J. Bonavia, Angelina G. (Bonavia) Castle, Margaret (Bonavia) Jenkins, Eva (Bonavia) Savateer, David Bonavia, Elizabeth Bonavia, Mary Ellen (Bonavia) Purnell, John Bonavia and Ernest Bonavia.
He was born on Sunday, 21 February 1926 in Sonora, California and was the son of Angelo Bonavia and Eleanor (Grofignia) Bonavia.
Francis graduated from Sonora High School Class of 1943.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II and was aboard a ship bound for Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped. The ship was diverted to the Philippines.
Francis later acknowledged that if not for that sudden assignment change, he may not have survived the war and was honorably discharged in 1946.
He had a love for horses and entered several local rodeos and in 1952 and won the Tuolumne County Bareback Riding Championship buckle that remained a prized possession to him for the rest of his life.
Francis married a widow, Peggy, in 1957 and became an instant father with three young daughters under the age of six. He raised his three stepdaughters as if they were his own, giving them the same love and attention that he gave the one daughter that was born to him and Peggy, Casey Lee.
After a divorce and a brief stint as a bachelor, Francis found his match. He and the late Gail Bonavia were married in 1971 and together built Rancho di Bellafortuna, a horse boarding and training facility, on part of the Bonavia property.
Mr. Bonavia is survived by his daughter, Casey Lee Bonavia, his sister, Ethel (Bonavia) Burgess, his stepdaughters, Lynn Dee Humphrey, Kelly Shepard and Paula Vierra.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Angelo Bonavia and Eleanor (Grofignia) Bonavia, his wife of 50 years of marriage, Gail Bonavia, stepdaughter, Laurie Humphrey, his siblings, Sylvester J. Bonavia, Angelina G. (Bonavia) Castle, Margaret (Bonavia) Jenkins, Eva (Bonavia) Savateer, David Bonavia, Elizabeth Bonavia, Mary Ellen (Bonavia) Purnell, John Bonavia and Ernest Bonavia.
On Saturday, 28 November 2020, Francis George Bonavia, 94 years old, passed away in Sonora, California.
He was born on Sunday, 21 February 1926 in Sonora, California and was the son of Angelo Bonavia and Eleanor (Grofignia) Bonavia.
Francis graduated from Sonora High School Class of 1943.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II and was aboard a ship bound for Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped. The ship was diverted to the Philippines.
Francis later acknowledged that if not for that sudden assignment change, he may not have survived the war and was honorably discharged in 1946.
He had a love for horses and entered several local rodeos and in 1952 and won the Tuolumne County Bareback Riding Championship buckle that remained a prized possession to him for the rest of his life.
Francis married a widow, Peggy, in 1957 and became an instant father with three young daughters under the age of six. He raised his three stepdaughters as if they were his own, giving them the same love and attention that he gave the one daughter that was born to him and Peggy, Casey Lee.
After a divorce and a brief stint as a bachelor, Francis found his match. He and the late Gail Bonavia were married in 1971 and together built Rancho di Bellafortuna, a horse boarding and training facility, on part of the Bonavia property.
Mr. Bonavia is survived by his daughter, Casey Lee Bonavia, his sister, Ethel (Bonavia) Burgess, his stepdaughters, Lynn Dee Humphrey, Kelly Shepard and Paula Vierra.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Angelo Bonavia and Eleanor (Grofignia) Bonavia, his wife of 50 years of marriage, Gail Bonavia, stepdaughter, Laurie Humphrey, his siblings, Sylvester J. Bonavia, Angelina G. (Bonavia) Castle, Margaret (Bonavia) Jenkins, Eva (Bonavia) Savateer, David Bonavia, Elizabeth Bonavia, Mary Ellen (Bonavia) Purnell, John Bonavia and Ernest Bonavia.
He was born on Sunday, 21 February 1926 in Sonora, California and was the son of Angelo Bonavia and Eleanor (Grofignia) Bonavia.
Francis graduated from Sonora High School Class of 1943.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II and was aboard a ship bound for Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped. The ship was diverted to the Philippines.
Francis later acknowledged that if not for that sudden assignment change, he may not have survived the war and was honorably discharged in 1946.
He had a love for horses and entered several local rodeos and in 1952 and won the Tuolumne County Bareback Riding Championship buckle that remained a prized possession to him for the rest of his life.
Francis married a widow, Peggy, in 1957 and became an instant father with three young daughters under the age of six. He raised his three stepdaughters as if they were his own, giving them the same love and attention that he gave the one daughter that was born to him and Peggy, Casey Lee.
After a divorce and a brief stint as a bachelor, Francis found his match. He and the late Gail Bonavia were married in 1971 and together built Rancho di Bellafortuna, a horse boarding and training facility, on part of the Bonavia property.
Mr. Bonavia is survived by his daughter, Casey Lee Bonavia, his sister, Ethel (Bonavia) Burgess, his stepdaughters, Lynn Dee Humphrey, Kelly Shepard and Paula Vierra.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Angelo Bonavia and Eleanor (Grofignia) Bonavia, his wife of 50 years of marriage, Gail Bonavia, stepdaughter, Laurie Humphrey, his siblings, Sylvester J. Bonavia, Angelina G. (Bonavia) Castle, Margaret (Bonavia) Jenkins, Eva (Bonavia) Savateer, David Bonavia, Elizabeth Bonavia, Mary Ellen (Bonavia) Purnell, John Bonavia and Ernest Bonavia.
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World War II
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