Barbara L. Bonar

Loving, faithful, adventurous, active, social and good friend are just a few ways to describe Barbara L. Bonar. All who knew Barb will miss her loving nature and life will never be quite the same without her. She loved her family, friends and her church.

After the stock market crash in October of 1929, America went into the Great Depression and American lives were changed forever. The year also was marked with the Museum of Modern Art being created, the first Academy Awards and Oscars were handed out and inventions of Motorola's first car radio and Charles Leiper Grigg's soft drink 7-Up. Along with these events was the birth of Barbara L. Zolman on June 14, 1929. The first born of Clyde D. and Beulah E. (Shaffer) Zolman, she was born at the Methodist Hospital, now known as Parkview Hospital Randallia in Fort Wayne and raised alongside her sister, DeLara and brothers, Dean, Nick and Terry.

She grew up on the family farm in the Tri-Lakes area of Whitley County. On the farm there were plenty of chores to tend to. With an adventurous side of her at a young age, Barb enjoyed climbing. Often she was found up on a roof or in a tree, despite her dad telling her not to do it again. She attended grade school in Collins and made lifelong friends with several girls and they remained friends and still call themselves the "Collins Girls".

Following her graduation from Churubusco High School in 1947, she met a young man by the name of Donald R. Bonar while they were roller skating in Columbia City. Don, who had recently served in U.S. Navy in World War II would fall in love with Barb and the two married on April 17, 1949 at the Churubusco Methodist Church.

They lived with Don's parents in Churubusco as they built their home in rural Whitley County on 450 East. They would start a family together and were delighted to welcome three children into the world, Rick, Rex and Tina. As a family they enjoyed numerous camping trips with friends. Along with being a homemaker, she worked as a Secretary/Clerk for seven years at Whitley County Hospital and the Whitley County Court House.

Barb enjoyed fishing with her husband. For 14 years they would winter in Texas and return to Whitley County in the spring. She found relaxation in sightseeing, tending to her flowers and crocheting. She was a great cook and having a vegetable garden, she would can a lot so her family could enjoy home grown vegetables year round. Being a social lady, she enjoyed visiting friends and hosting parties.

She was a faithful member of Merriam Christian Chapel Church and in the 1970's, she and Don were members of Gideon's International Ministries. With her health declining Barb found comfort in being at North Ridge Village Nursing and Rehabilitation in Albion knowing she was close to her church and she knew several church members at the facility.

Barbara L. Bonar, 89, of Columbia City, Indiana, passed away at 9:35 a.m. Monday, June 25, 2018 at North Ridge Village in her bedroom. Survivors include her husband, Don Bonar; children, Rick (Karen) Bonar, of Churubusco, Rex (Susan) Bonar, of Spring Hill, Kan. and Tina (Tim) Atkinson, of Columbia City; brothers, Dean (Sharon) Zolman and Nick (Elaine) Zolman , both of Churubusco; sister, DeLara (Larry) Miller, of Columbia City; sister-in-law, Julie Zolman, of Albion; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Terry Zolman.

Visitation is 12- 1:45 p.m. Thursday, June 28, 2018 at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City with her funeral service starting at 2 p.m. Pastor John French will be officiating. Burial will follow at Christian Chapel Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be given in her memory to the Merriam Christian Chapel Church, UP Global Network or Gideon's International. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send her family condolences online.