Bonford DeWitt

ELLISVILLE, Mo. -- Bonford Bollinger "Bonnie" DeWitt, 90, of Ellisville died Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007, at St. Luke Hospital in Chesterfield, Mo.

He was born Sept. 20, 1916, at Scopus, Mo., son of William McKinley and Trecie Mae Bollinger DeWitt. He married Cecil Myrick, who preceded him in death.

Bonnie attended school in Marble Hill and St. Louis, then Southeast Missouri State University. He taught in one-room Bollinger and Scopus schools in Bollinger County, where both his parents attended.

He served in the Army Signal Corps during World War II in the China-Burma-India Theater, achieving the rank of master sergeant.

Bonnie worked 37 years at Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., starting as a repairman and lineman, and finishing his career as special services engineer.

He was instrumental in the management of telephone employees and the Missouri Central Credit Unions and served on the Credit Union National Association. Bonnie was active in the telephone company service arm, the Southwestern Bell Telephone Pioneers.

He retired to Franklin County in 1982 and moved to Ellisville in 2005.

Bonnie was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, student of local history and supporter of Bollinger County Library and Archives.

Survivors include four children, Patricia (Keith) Albers of Wildwood, Mo., William McKinley (Charlotte) DeWitt of Astoria, Ore., Bonnie (Robert) Tweddle of Wildwood, Mary (the late Jack) Billings of Ellisville; a sister, Meredith Henson of Mesa, Ariz.; two grandchildren, Sophie DeWitt and Robert J. Tweddle; nieces, nephews, cousins, and friend of many.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to service time Wednesday at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill, Mo.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the chapel. Burial will be in Glenallen Cemetery with military honors.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bollinger County Library, P.O. Box 919, Marble Hill, Mo., 63764.