Thomas 'Buddy' Bonner
Born In: Glace Bay
Passed in: Sydney
Passed on: April 30th, 2014
It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Buddy Bonner. Dad passed away on Sunday, March 30, 2014 in the An-Cala unit at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney, with his family at his side.
Born in Glacé Bay, Buddy was the son of the late James and Margaret Ann (MacDonald) Bonner.
Buddy was a member of St. Anne's Church, Glace Bay and the altar society. Dad was a very outgoing and compassionate man who loved meeting people. He would always put others needs before his own. Dad was an avid Toronto Maple Leafs fan.
Buddy is survived by his wife, Colleen (Dobranski) Bonner; sons, Nick (Donna), Terrance, Grady (Gail) and Glenn (Hilda); daughters, Barbara Jean Ariss and Geraldine Bonner. Buddy is also survived by stepsons, Garfield and Darren Dobranski. Also surviving are Buddy's brother, Francis (Peggy) Bonner and his sister, Rodena (Louie) Lecreux. Buddy is survived by grandchildren, Leanne, Lisa, Joey, Cheryl, Buddy, Aaron, Brandon, Brayden; step-grandson, Michael and great-grandchildren, Mhairi, Ryan, Justin, Christian, Logan, Bradley, Eden, Akaydea and many nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, Buddy was predeceased by his first wife, Shirley MacIntyre; son, Tommy; brother, Grady, sisters, Mary and Shirley.
Our Dad was a good husband, father, grandfather, brother. Dad was a retired coal miner, having worked in Caledonia, #20, #26, Lingan, Phalen and Prince Collieries for 35 years. Our Dad was very proud of his work record only on compensation once in all those years.
He loved sports mainly softball, baseball, hockey and bowling. Buddy excelled at softball and baseball. He coached the Caledonia Angels girls at the age of 13, played senior softball at the age of 14 with Murray Transfer, played with the No.11 Antonians juvenile and junior winning a Maritime Title in 1952, senior baseball with the Glacé Bay Miners and Sydney Kings.
He played softball with the Bay Byes one of the best teams around at that time, he was the playing coach with the Caledonia Aces winning a Maritime Title in 1961, played with Donkin Aces who captured a Nova Scotia Title in 1965-66. When he thought his softball career was over they formed a vets team of older players to play in an intermediate D league which they promptly won the league title.
He was the very first coach of Senior A softball coaching the Glacé Bay Datsuns in the Nova Scotia Senior A league. Dad was very honoured to be selected to the 1969 Canada games Nova Scotia softball team, he was team captain. Also during his playing and coaching teams, he was always part of the executive of most leagues, usually the treasurer.
Dad loved umpiring baseball and softball, he told me he would always cherish my first game (Nick) umpiring with him. He let me do the plate and we played two years together with the vets softball team. One of my dad's highlights was playing ball with his brother, Francie for most of his career. Dad loved being a member of the KOC, Pensioners club and pensioners bowling league.
Buddy volunteered for the Vince Ryan and Jason Simmons Memorial hockey tournaments. Dad also played and coached in the Colliery league leading his team the Surface to many titles. Dad has been inducted to The Glacé Bay Hall of Fame for Sports and Community Volunteers as an Athlete and his teams the 1952 Antonians and the 1968 Oland's Bay Byes where he was the playing coach and the team won a Maritime Title. Buddy was also inducted into the Cape Breton Sports Hall of Fame.
Visitation will be held on Monday from 2-4, 7-9 p.m. in the V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 16 Reserve St., Glace Bay. The funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. in Holy Cross Church, Glace Bay with Fr. Norman MacPhee officiating. Interment in the parish cemetery, weather permitting. All are welcome to join the family for a reception in the church hall directly below the church.
Members of the KOC will hold prayers at the funeral home on Monday night at 7:30 p.m.
As an expression of sympathy for Buddy, memorial donations in his memory may be made to the An Cala Unit, Cape Breton Regional Hospital.
Online condolences to the family can be expressed at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca.
Dad's favorite saying was, ' Do your best and always play with Desire'.
