Bonnie Louise Mathews

Mathews, Bonnie Louise (nee Koppitz) December 30, 1943 – December 22, 2023 Loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, cousin, friend and the Crème De La Crème of Grannies! Allowing antics that never would have flown with her own daughters (ie: unmade beds, all day in pajamas and dogs on the bed!), Bonnie doted on her grandchildren, Courtney Middle, Ryan Middle, Coby Williams and Ryder Williams and supported them in EVERYTHING they sought to accomplish. Talk about hitting the Grannie Jackpot…… Mom (and Taskmaster) to Kim Mathews and Laura Piercy (nee Mathews) (Tony), Bonnie passed down many traits that would serve her daughters well as they entered adulthood (cooking wasn’t one of them, more on that later….). Forever a Girl Scout, Bonnie taught Kim & Laura to “always be prepared,” and instilled a hardworking attitude by requiring chores be done before fun. And, while not popular during the teenage years, the daily IBM card list of chores left on the kitchen counter was preparing Kim and Laura for Life, which is really just one big To Do List. We will be forever grateful, Mom!!! On August 13, 1966, Bonnie married her college sweetheart and dance partner-in-crime, Robert Joseph Mathews, Jr, who recently preceded her in death. In what might have been the greatest checkmate chess move of all-time, Bonnie “burnt” the jello/salad as a young bride which resulted in Bob taking over the family cooking duties for life. Well-played, Mom! She instead put her time to use with gardening and took great pride in receiving “Yard of the Month” sign often. Bonnie was a standout ballet and jazz dancer in her youth and while not a well-known fact, she had been accepted to the Julliard School of Dance! Wow! She also LOVED rock and roll and made driving the family’s wood-paneled station wagon cool by jamming out to the Doobie Brothers on the AM radio. It’s no wonder her daughters are always 1st on the dance floor! She was also a fierce field hockey competitor and was usually the loudest cheerleader on the sidelines of her daughter’s athletic endeavors. Lover of all things yellow and chocolate, Bonnie never met a chocolate martini she couldn’t finish and often defied wearing Cardinal Red and would instead opt for her signature yellow. This fashion choice, paired with her striking gray hair made her a beacon and easy to spot in crowds, which the family found came in handy at amusement parks and for hailing cabs! A lifelong lover of history, Bonnie could often be found at the Historical Society researching the family’s heritage and genealogy. As a result of her impressive research, she was able to confirm a Lewis & Clark Expedition participant in the family’s lineage! Awesome find, Mom! Bonnie always had her $h!t together and her daughters are still in awe of how she managed all that she did while they were growing up. She was one tough cookie and allergic to B.S., too! You could always count on Bonnie to tell it like it was which her daughters really came to appreciate! We will profoundly miss these hard truth talks with our Mom, but we take great comfort in knowing she’s reunited with Dad and they are dancing together again. WE LOVE YOU, MOM!!! A visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, December 27th at Kidwell Garber Funeral Home, Versailles, MO from 3:00-5:00 p.m. A second visitation is scheduled for Friday, December 29th at Valhalla Funeral Chapel (7600 St. Charles Rock Road, 63133) from 10:00-11a.m. with a ceremony following from 11:00 a.m. We would love to see you all for our mom’s final good-bye.

Bonnie Louise Mathews

December 30, 1943 - December 22, 2023