Ralph Stephen Bonner

Ralph Stephen (Steve) Bonner, 79, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at home after a ninemonth battle with brain cancer. He was a kind and funny man and a cornerstone for his family as a loving and supportive spouse, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. He never met a stranger, and he made an impact on his family and community through his hard work, his humor and regard for others, and his willingness to help his many friends and family members.

Steve was born December 24, 1943, in Scott City, KS, to Marion and Margaret Berg Bonner and was the fourth of eight children. He spent his years growing up in western Kansas, exploring the fossil beds and working at the family-run movie theatre with his siblings, in addition to enjoying music and sports during high school. Sports would be a lifelong passion. He graduated from Wichita County Community High School in 1961.

Steve met Sonya Bristow through their families when he was still in high school and impressed her by reading Robert Service poems and climbing a tree to pick grapes that she wanted. They married in 1966 while he was serving in the US Navy. After his discharge from the Navy, Steve went to college at the University of Kansas with the help of the GI Bill. During college, he applied his Navy experience repairing helicopters to work on the early supercomputers at KU. He graduated from KU with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1975. Following graduation, he began his career with Mobil Pipeline Company, where he would work for the next 30 years as an employee and, following his official retirement, as a consultant. His career with Mobil provided Steve and his family the opportunity to experience life in different parts of the country, to make wonderful friends in all of those places, and to enjoy countless family trips to museums, historic sights, and national parks—a lifetime of memories to hold onto.

Sports, games, and various home improvement and furniture-building projects occupied much of Steve’s leisure time, and he shared these pastimes and knowhow with his c h i ldren, grandchi ldren, ni e c e s , nephews, and friends. His wife and daughters believed he could build anything, and he nearly could. Steve built one of his early homes with Sonya and spent countless hours helping family members make repairs and improvements to their homes and properties. He enjoyed the camaraderie, the opportunity to help people he loved, and the cold beer and sense of accomplishment that usually came at the end of a project. Steve was a great billiards player, a pretty good golfer, and a lifelong fan of KU sports, and he spent many enjoyable hours watching KU football and basketball games and playing golf with family and friends. He paid attention to people, remembered their names and stories, and checked in on them later. He loved to tell stories and to make people laugh. Putting the needs of others first and helping people to feel at ease was his superpower.

Steve is survived by his wife, Sonya, Naperville, IL; daughters, Ashley ( Russel l ) Zung, of Washington, DC, and Seana (Jacob) Strawn, Glen Elyn, IL; grandchildren, Mather Zung, Madeline Strawn, Isaac Strawn, and Reed Strawn; brothers Orville (Jean) Bonner, Lawrence, KS, Charles (Barbara) Bonner, Logan County, KS, and Dana (Ginny) Bonner, Tucson, AZ; sisters Clare Jane Askey, Briarcliff, TX, Letty (Tim) McGarvin, Green Valley, AZ, Chris (Terry Weber) Bonner, Tucson, AZ, and Melanie (Carlton) Thomas, Bayou Vista, TX; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A Celebration of Life for family and friends was held in Lawrence, KS, Sunday, October 22, 2023.