Bonnie Southall

Bonnie Ruth (nee Davis) Southall of Wilmington, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 21, 2019 at Rosewood Care Center in Joliet, just one day shy of her 78th birthday.

Born October 22, 1941, Bonnie was a daughter of Ernest Jess “E.J.” and Alice (Butcher) Davis. She was a lifelong resident of Wilmington where she was educated and graduated from Wilmington High School with the Class of 1959. Bonnie married her high school sweetheart, John Burnell “Bernie” Southall on February 22, 1962 in the First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington. In addition to raising her three sons, Bonnie opened her own business, The Flower Loft in Wilmington, soon after the passing of her husband. She was a successful business owner and talented designer for many years, as well as managed the Wilmington Recreation Club, Inc. It was here that Bonnie made many great lifelong friends and spent most of the summers enjoying family and friends.

Throughout the years, Bonnie was active in 4-H, the Wilmington Junior Women’s Club and the Wilmington Garden Club. She served on the board of directors with the Wilmington School District Foundation for Excellence; was a member of the Wilmington Downtown Revitalization Committee, and belonged to the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce who honored her as their Business Person of the Year.

In recent years, Bonnie most cherished spending time with her three sons and their families, and remained an avid Wildcat fan her entire life.

Survivors include her sons: Brent (Jeanne), Brad (Stephanie) and Barry (Joyce), all of Wilmington; (8) grandchildren: Lexi, Kiley, John, Sarah, Haley, Mason, Miranda and Molly Southall; sisters-in-law: Margaret VanDuyne, Barbara (Gary) Brieser and Nancy (Greg) Leigh, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, as well as friends.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest Jess and Alice H. Davis; husband John Burnell Southall and one sister, Alice Fay (Harry) Kukla.

The family will receive friends for a visitation on Thursday, October 24, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. until the time of brief prayer service 7:00 p.m. at Baskerville Funeral Home, 700 East Kahler Road in Wilmington. Reverend Dr. Roy Backus will officiate. Private family graveside services will be held at a later date in Oakwood Cemetery, Wilmington, where Bonnie will be laid to rest with her husband.

Preferred memorials may be made as gifts in Bonnie’s memory to The First Presbyterian Church of Wilmington, 301 N. Kankakee Street, Wilmington, IL 60481 or to the Wilmington School District Foundation for Excellence, 209 Wildcat Court, Wilmington, IL 60481.

Family and friends may sign the guest book, upload photographs or share Bonnie’s memorial page online through social media by logging onto: www.BaskervilleFuneral.com/notices/Bonnie-Southall

Funeral services and arrangements have been made under the direction and care of Baskerville Funeral Home in Wilmington. (815-476-2181)