Bonnie (Brown) Greene

Ancestors

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Biography

Dr. Bonnie M. Greene

May 11, 1943-February 26, 2019

Surrounded by the loving presence and prayers of her family, Bonnie passed away at the Oakville-Trafalgar Hospital on Tuesday, February 26, 2019.

Bonnie shared her life with her love and true life companion Norm. For more than fifty-one years they lived, loved, worked, and ministered together. Norm’s deep faith strengthened Bonnie, just as her faith strengthened him. She loved to debate, laugh, inform, learn, and watch TV and movies with him.

It was love, joy, and deep pride that Bonnie had for her family. She raised two daughters, Christa and Annette, as she worked to advocate for women’s rights, peace, justice, and the environment. She delighted in the work and influence that she in turn saw her adult daughters having in the world. She was a strong and fierce advocate for feminism as noted by several nieces, and an open and welcoming supporter for her nephews and many other young people throughout her lifetime. She loved her sons-in-law for their humour and the love they shared with her daughters. To Bonnie’s great delight, and surprise, after raising two girls she was blessed with five grandsons. She often commented, “Boys are so different!” She probably already knew that, having grown up with three brothers, but the perspective of a grandparent is distinctive. She enjoyed each grandson for their unique gifts and personalities and was always willing to take part in whatever game or activity they wanted her to be part of: from watching movies or a favourite TV show to playing Lego, or acting as a goalie for a knee hockey game in the basement. She chided them for outgrowing her, but was very proud of their size, and their achievements in sports, art, engineering, mathematical and computer science.

Bonnie’s keen intellect and energetic spirit led her to a vast array of experiences and connections in life. She started her work life as a teacher at Bellevue Christian School and then quickly moved into the publishing industry, immersing herself in editing and reviewing books for children. From there she began work with the Taskforce on Churches and Corporate Responsibility where her Christian faith deepened as she observed, analyzed, and responded to the business practices of corporations in Canada and around the world. When Bonnie joined the national staff at The United Church of Canada she worked on welcoming refugees and then moved to the peace, justice, and international affairs desk. This position took her to international meetings with the World Council of Churches in Bern, Switzerland as well as several trips to the Soviet Union. Through these meetings she formed lifelong ties to people who were, alongside her, active in the anti-apartheid movement, protesting the nuclear arms race, and raising environmental awareness. As the Program Director for the Division of Mission in Canada, Bonnie traveled across Canada sharing her faith and encouraging congregations, presbyteries, and conferences in the work they were doing, as well as providing staff support to countless General Councils. After retiring from the national office of The United Church, Bonnie shared her faith and passion with congregations in the consulting work she did with Ron Ewart at Toronto United Church Council.

Bonnie’s dedication to The United Church of Canada and commitment to seeking justice and peace in the world resulted in Emmanuel College at Victoria University conferring a Doctor of Sacred Letters on her in 1985 and Atlantic School of Theology conferring an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1997.

Bonnie’s passion for laughter and music shone through in the activities she filled her “non-work” hours with. In three different United Churches, Bonnie taught Sunday school and started and directed junior choirs. She was well known for welcoming anyone and everyone to sing with the choir, even if they had never been to a practice before! She encouraged countless children and teenagers, offering them a listening ear, deep faith, leadership training, and team building skills through the music they sang with her. Her dedication to children and faith was endless. When a member of the church told her they didn’t attend during the summer because the church didn’t provide for children during the holidays, she led the summer children’s programme called, “Summer Sundays, the Best Sundays of All”. She loved her Thursday evenings as a member of the choir at North Bramalea, sitting with the alto section enjoying jokes and singing together. For years, Bonnie spent hours each week assisting with worship planning and preparation as she put together slide shows for worship, debated theology with ministry staff and chose music for the congregation and music team to sing.

Bonnie’s life was filled with family, faith, and music; she was an avid reader who loved to learn about history and politics and traveled the world through the novels she read and the movies she enjoyed. Bonnie was predeceased by her parents Isabella and Lorin Brown, her brother Jim and half-sister Jean Wilson. She is survived by her brothers Lorin and Iain. Bonnie will be deeply missed by her nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Visitation will be held at Glen Oaks Funeral Home on Saturday, March 2, 2019 from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. Funeral Service will be held at North Bramalea United Church (363 Howden Boulevard, Brampton) on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. with reception to follow in the church hall.

Donations in memory of Bonnie can be made to Brampton Civic Hospital- Oncology Unit https://oslerfoundation.akaraisin.com/PersonalPages/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=7349&mid=66&pid=4798862 or Project Ploughshares, which is a Canadian non-government organization which works to advance policies and actions to prevent war and armed violence and build peace located in the Centre for Peace and Advancement at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo (Waterloo, ON) http://ploughshares.ca/ways-to-give/memorial-gift/ .

Sources

https://www.arbormemorial.ca/glenoaks/obituaries/bonnie-m-greene/30764

Note: this web page was not available in late 2022, other shorter versions of her obituary are (as of Nov 8, 2022) available at: https://www.echovita.com/ca/obituaries/on/oakville/bonnie-m-greene-8835799 and https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/thestar/name/bonnie-greene-obituary?pid=191689658