On Nov. 29, our Heavenly Father decided that he had let one angel walk the earth long enough and called our beloved mother, daughter, sister and grandmother home.
Bonnie was born on March 15, 1961, to Gary and Firma Lucas in Garden City, Kan. In the summer of 1972, the family moved and settled in Pagosa Springs, Colo. It was here that Bonnie fell in love with the great outdoors. Bonnie was an avid camper, fisher, hiker and bicyclist. During her youth, she helped run her parent’s store, The Wayside Grocery Store, on Put Hill.
As she got older, Bonnie became very obviously gifted in art. She was an amazing painter, could draw lifelike portraits, decorate beautiful cakes and even played guitar, often channeling Bob Dylan.
In the mid 1980s, Bonnie moved to California, where she started a family, but Pagosa was always home and she soon returned in the early ‘90s.
After working as a day care provider (which she loved and the children for whom she cared for loved her), working for a construction business and then a health food business, eventually Bonnie found her calling. She spent the last 18 years of her life working in conjunction with the Humane Society here in town by working for, and then managing, its Thrift Store. She helped put on numerous adopt-a-thons, Auctions for the Animals, Chocolate Auctions and became an advocate for four-legged friends.
Bonnie is survived by her children, Krista and Thomas Milburn; her mother, Firma Lucas; siblings Allen (Diane) Lucas, Elizabeth (Eric) Familo, Lance (Elisha) Lucas; grandsons Sage and Micah (who she loved dearly and doted on constantly); and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her father, Gary Lucas, and numerous grandparents, aunts and uncles.
The loss of Bonnie will leave a big void in our community and an even bigger void in our hearts. For such a tiny, sweet woman, she sure left some big shoes to fill.
A celebration of life will be held next summer outdoors in the forests she loved so much at a date and location later to be announced. We are hoping that anyone and everyone who loved Bonnie will attend, and we will keep everyone posted on location and time.