A loving mom, sister, nana and aunt, Bonnie Irene Kerns Leonard, 73, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 13, 2017 at Carroll Hospital in Westminster, Maryland. Born in Montour Falls, New York on May 22, 1943, Bonnie was the daughter of the late Flora Bush and Robert Kerns, who raised her with her three younger siblings on a small, self sufficient farm amidst extended family in Bennettsburg, New York. She graduated from Watkins Glen High School in 1961.
Bonnie, a devoted grandmother for whom family and children provided the greatest joy, was predeceased by her husband of 43 years, Bruce Leonard of Watkins Glen, NY. She is survived by her sister, Carolyn Higginson of Colorado Springs, CO, as well as the families of her children, Christopher Crowley of Hampstead, MD and Renée Schibler-Crowley of Oberrieden, Switzerland, including six grandchildren: Sarah, Corrin, Sophia, Michael, Fabienne and Gabriel, two aunts, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Known for her infectious laugh, Bonnie often exhibited a childlike sense of wonder over the smallest things in the world. Kind and loving, she was a joy to be around thanks to her boundless compassion and the unconditional support she shone upon her family and friends. She was a spiritual woman and adored volunteering at Crossroads Community Church in Hampstead and Westminster, Maryland.
Bonnie’s life will be commemorated at a memorial service for family and friends to be held on July 22, 2017 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the home of Carol Bower, 4015 Cass Road, Montour Falls, New York 14865.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bonnie’s honor to either the American Heart Association, American Lung Association or the Ehlers-Danlos Society.