Lorita McNeill Bonifield

Lorita McNeill Bonifield, 99, longtime homemaker and educator, was living at home and died on February 16, 2010. Mrs. Bonifield was born on January 24, 1911 in Comanche, Texas, graduated from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma. She married Henry Lease Bonifield, independent geologist and oil operator, in 1934. They moved to Abilene, Texas in 1947. She was a member of First Baptist Church, Abilene Woman's Club, Hendrick Medical Center Auxiliary, Daughters of the American Revolution, Chi Omega, Athenian Study Club, Abilene Philharmonic, Retired Teachers Association and other civic clubs and organizations. As a young woman, Mrs. Bonifield taught school and directed award-winning choirs in Allen, Oklahoma. From 1958-'76 she taught 5th grade at Dyess Elementary School. She was an outstanding and dedicated teacher who inspired her students with her love of America, its founding history, liberty, freedoms, and the importance of Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. Mrs. Bonifield will be remembered by her family for her strong Christian faith, kind and courageous spirit and as a loving and generous wife, mother and grandmother who dearly loved her family and friends. She was also a gifted writer of delightful poems who enjoyed gardening, rock hunting with her husband and the Abilene Gem and Mineral Society, and extensive traveling in North America, Europe, Egypt & Far East. She is survived by three daughters: Rita Lea and the late Donald E. Spencer of Oklahoma City, Ruth and Val Canon of Dallas, Texas, and Carolyn Sue and Roland Sandner of Vienna, Austria. There are eleven grandchildren: Julia Suzanne Craig, Gregory Lease Spencer and Carolyn Suzanne Meledeo; Alison Leigh McCally, Baron McNeill Canon, Claire Taylor Gentzel and Spencer Lease Canon; and 11 great-grandchildren. Also included are: nieces Nina Story Hagle, Sue Story Morton, Barbara Story White and many grand-nieces and -nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Susan Phnina Milner and John William McNeill; siblings Gordon, Morna Clyde, William Walter, Laura Mabel, Herbert Hannibal, James Sidney, Ophelia, David Dixon; and grandparents Susan Eubank and Hannibal McNeill of Montgomery County, Alabama, and Susan Caroline Edmunds and Jonathan Milner, founder of First Baptist Church in Comanche, Texas. The family expresses sincere thanks to the pastoral staff and friends at First Baptist Church for many prayers, visits and expressions of love. In addition to extending their appreciation for the services of Shirley Sparks of Generations Home Health and her professional, caring staff, the family also expresses enduring gratitude for the following individuals who faithfully and selflessly provided not only expert physical care for Mother in her home, but also daily demonstrated their love for her. While offering special recognition to Miriam Festejo and Maria Wheeler for their continuous service of nearly 8 years, we also express the same appreciation for the loyal service of those who assisted Mother for shorter duration: Sue Sweeney, Rhea Jones, Stefanie Oleros, Machael Chittum and Monica Castilleja. These dear caregivers and friends surely have been a gift of God. The family will greet visitors from 5-7 pm on Tuesday, February 23, at Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 25, in Elmore City Cemetery, Oklahoma. A memorial service will be at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, at the First Baptist Church Chapel, Abilene, Texas.