Ladonna Eva Bon
July 19, 1930 — November 13, 2016
LaDonna Eva Coulter was born on July 19, 1930, in Long Beach, CA, to Don and Wilma Coulter. Her name is a combination of her parents’ middle names – LaRue and Donald. She was born with club feet and her folks called her “clickety-clack” because of the noise her casted feet made when they hit together.
LaDonna had a variety of pets growing up – chickens, ducks, rabbits, cats - including her beloved Pekingese, Ming Toy. She was an only child, but family ties were strong with cousins, aunts & uncles.
Although LaDonna was very shy, she was active in the Atlantic Avenue Methodist church, where she taught Sunday school and began her life-long involvement with choirs. She started decorating the church with her parents for Palm Sunday, a tradition they continued at the Montebello Methodist Church.
LaDonna graduated from Poly High in Long Beach in 1948 and attended Long Beach City College and Whittier College, where she lived on campus. She took voice lessons in high school and joined the Singers Workshop which later became the Long Beach Civic Light Opera.
She and Frank Bon announced their engagement at a church choir rehearsal. They were married on lucky Friday, June 13, 1952, the first wedding in the just-completed sanctuary at Atlantic Avenue Methodist, and were married for 50 years before Frank’s passing. From their marriage came three daughters, LeeAnn, Pamela, and Adrienne.
Soon after marriage, LaDonna and Frank moved to Montebello, where they and her parents joined the United Methodist Church and were involved in many community activities. Church was a major part of LaDonna’s life: soloist in the church choir, director of the children’s choir and later the adult choir, vacation bible school, rummage sales, United Methodist women, Methodist Mates Sunday school class, lay leader, board of trustees, and working in the kitchen for various events. She supported the many activities of her children such as Girl Scout leader, PTA, band boosters, school athletics, chauffer for various dance and music lessons, and chaperone for the high school band and choir’s European tour. Other community activities included YMCA Y’s-menettes, Women’s Club, and PEO.
LaDonna and Frank were frequent travelers – from traveling to 42 states in a trailer with the kids, to international trips to Europe, Israel, Mexico, Canada, Russia, and Australia. They also enjoyed going to concerts, plays and especially musicals. LaDonna loved both singing and listening to music while cleaning the house or riding in the car.
Gardening was in her blood, beginning with working with her parents on her father’s gardening route. LaDonna kept her daddy’s orchids blooming after he passed and took a lesson to keep up the tradition of making corsages. She had a vegetable garden every year and taught her daughters and grandsons, Kyle and Kevin, the joy of gardening, too.
When all her kids were out of elementary school, LaDonna went back to work as a teacher’s aide in special education. She retired just before her first grandson was born. LaDonna spent the next 15 years caring for Kyle and Kevin; watching games and performances as well as taking them to school, doctors, therapies and music lessons.
When Frank developed Alzheimer’s, LaDonna had to learn new skills to pick up where he left off. She continued her church and community activities and, after Frank’s death, married longtime friend, Jim Gabrielson. Jim’s children, Jan and Kristin, and their families were a joy to her and gave her an extended family to love and care for.
LaDonna followed her mother’s example and was a caregiver her whole life – to her parents, her children, her grandchildren, her husbands – and many others along the way. Even in her last days, she always wanted to help others.
LaDonna’s health began to decline after her 2015 knee replacement surgery and she moved to a memory care facility in April, 2016. She died surrounded by her daughters and sons-in-law at dawn on Nov 13, 2016. The 13th day of the month has always been special to her family and will continue to be a day of significance.
LaDonna will be greatly missed by many friends and relatives including her children, sons-in-law and grandchildren: LeeAnn & Jeff Tyler; Pamela, Kyle and Kevin Driscoll; Adrienne & Art Ramirez; Bruce, Julie and Michael Bon; Jan Gabrielson & family; Kristin Gabrielson & family; Coulter families; Bon families.
Memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 20, at 3pm:
Montebello United Methodist Church, 1220 W. Whittier Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640
Memorial gifts may be made to:
Montebello Woman’s Club (music scholarship), 201 S. Park Ave, Montebello, CA 90640 (501c3) or Montebello United Methodist Church, 1220 W. Whittier Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640
Condolences may be sent to her family through:
http://www.rishermortuary.com/obituaries/Ladonna-Bon/
LaDonna had a variety of pets growing up – chickens, ducks, rabbits, cats - including her beloved Pekingese, Ming Toy. She was an only child, but family ties were strong with cousins, aunts & uncles.
Although LaDonna was very shy, she was active in the Atlantic Avenue Methodist church, where she taught Sunday school and began her life-long involvement with choirs. She started decorating the church with her parents for Palm Sunday, a tradition they continued at the Montebello Methodist Church.
LaDonna graduated from Poly High in Long Beach in 1948 and attended Long Beach City College and Whittier College, where she lived on campus. She took voice lessons in high school and joined the Singers Workshop which later became the Long Beach Civic Light Opera.
She and Frank Bon announced their engagement at a church choir rehearsal. They were married on lucky Friday, June 13, 1952, the first wedding in the just-completed sanctuary at Atlantic Avenue Methodist, and were married for 50 years before Frank’s passing. From their marriage came three daughters, LeeAnn, Pamela, and Adrienne.
Soon after marriage, LaDonna and Frank moved to Montebello, where they and her parents joined the United Methodist Church and were involved in many community activities. Church was a major part of LaDonna’s life: soloist in the church choir, director of the children’s choir and later the adult choir, vacation bible school, rummage sales, United Methodist women, Methodist Mates Sunday school class, lay leader, board of trustees, and working in the kitchen for various events. She supported the many activities of her children such as Girl Scout leader, PTA, band boosters, school athletics, chauffer for various dance and music lessons, and chaperone for the high school band and choir’s European tour. Other community activities included YMCA Y’s-menettes, Women’s Club, and PEO.
LaDonna and Frank were frequent travelers – from traveling to 42 states in a trailer with the kids, to international trips to Europe, Israel, Mexico, Canada, Russia, and Australia. They also enjoyed going to concerts, plays and especially musicals. LaDonna loved both singing and listening to music while cleaning the house or riding in the car.
Gardening was in her blood, beginning with working with her parents on her father’s gardening route. LaDonna kept her daddy’s orchids blooming after he passed and took a lesson to keep up the tradition of making corsages. She had a vegetable garden every year and taught her daughters and grandsons, Kyle and Kevin, the joy of gardening, too.
When all her kids were out of elementary school, LaDonna went back to work as a teacher’s aide in special education. She retired just before her first grandson was born. LaDonna spent the next 15 years caring for Kyle and Kevin; watching games and performances as well as taking them to school, doctors, therapies and music lessons.
When Frank developed Alzheimer’s, LaDonna had to learn new skills to pick up where he left off. She continued her church and community activities and, after Frank’s death, married longtime friend, Jim Gabrielson. Jim’s children, Jan and Kristin, and their families were a joy to her and gave her an extended family to love and care for.
LaDonna followed her mother’s example and was a caregiver her whole life – to her parents, her children, her grandchildren, her husbands – and many others along the way. Even in her last days, she always wanted to help others.
LaDonna’s health began to decline after her 2015 knee replacement surgery and she moved to a memory care facility in April, 2016. She died surrounded by her daughters and sons-in-law at dawn on Nov 13, 2016. The 13th day of the month has always been special to her family and will continue to be a day of significance.
LaDonna will be greatly missed by many friends and relatives including her children, sons-in-law and grandchildren: LeeAnn & Jeff Tyler; Pamela, Kyle and Kevin Driscoll; Adrienne & Art Ramirez; Bruce, Julie and Michael Bon; Jan Gabrielson & family; Kristin Gabrielson & family; Coulter families; Bon families.
Memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 20, at 3pm:
Montebello United Methodist Church, 1220 W. Whittier Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640
Memorial gifts may be made to:
Montebello Woman’s Club (music scholarship), 201 S. Park Ave, Montebello, CA 90640 (501c3) or Montebello United Methodist Church, 1220 W. Whittier Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640
Condolences may be sent to her family through:
http://www.rishermortuary.com/obituaries/Ladonna-Bon/
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