Bonnie A. Hudock, age 76, a longtime resident of Wauwatosa, passed away at Froedtert Hospital on March 29, 2025. The family would like to extend a thank you to the NICU personnel at Froedtert for the care and compassion shown while treating her for complications associated with pancreatic cancer.
Bonnie is preceded in death by her parents, Roger W. Parlee and Dolores J. Crawford. She lived most of her childhood in and near Milwaukee, where she was born in 1948, and also resided in Illinois, Alabama and Pennsylvania. She viewed each new home, school, and community as an opportunity for adventure and exploration. Graduating from Whitnall High School in 1966, she continued her adventures by frolicking on the beaches while living with her father in Hawaii. She later delved into the hippie scene while working for the Department of Commerce in Washington DC.
Bonnie returned to Milwaukee in 1968 where she met her husband, Tom, a student at Marquette University, who she married in 1969. She is survived by her husband, four children: Jenny (Jeff), Luke (Andrea), Sara (Ranan), Ben (Breann) and eleven grandchildren: Reagan, Cailin, Kali, Leah, Deuce, Mason, Asha, Kiki, Jivan, Thomas and Patrick. She is also survived by her treasured siblings: Rick (Colleen), Randy (Joanna) and Dodi (Pete).
Bonnie worked at Eugene Wald Jewelers and the Milwaukee Art Center as a secretary before giving birth to her first child in 1971. She was a stay at home mom until all the children were old enough to attend school in Wauwatosa. She then went back to work as a clerk at Fibre Arts, a waitress at the Chinese Pagoda, and a secretary at the Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital, the Dewey Center and Children’s Hospital.
Bonnie’s grandchildren were her pride and joy. She sought to fill their lives with fun, adventure and imaginative play. There were frequent “sleepovers” and on special occasions “Boys Night Out” and “Girls Night Out” trips to area waterparks. She also introduced her grandchildren to the world of imagination and fantasy such as the magic of fairies, mermaids, and all aspects of nature. She enjoyed camping for many years and shared her love of the outdoors and appreciation of nature and the world around us. She was also the most supportive and nurturing fan by helping her children and grandchildren to overcome challenges or difficulties whenever they arose.
Bonnie was a talented seamstress, quilt maker, loved to knit, crochet and needlepoint. Her children and grandchildren were frequent beneficiaries of her handiwork in the form of dresses, blankets, Halloween costumes, gloves, hats, mittens etc. For the past 10 years she made "quiet books" out of felt for toddlers and young children. These activity books were creative and delightful. She received many compliments on these books which she sold at various area craft shows.
As an independent, free spirit and a hippy at heart, she loved the simple things in life - good food, a burning candle, a cup of tea, gardening, music, campfires, basking in the sun, hanging laundry outside, sunrises, sunsets, snowfalls, camping, thrifting. She was an avid reader since childhood, loved the smell of old books, and read hundreds of them. Prior to a knee replacement, she was an avid walker and loved riding her bike. Bonnie held a deep fondness for all of nature, especially the ocean and made many trips to Florida with her special friend Wendy and daughter Sara. She leaves many pondering thoughts and footprints along the sandy, shell-speckled shores of Florida and Hawaii. She also enjoyed venturing deep into the woods, sitting on a log, hugging her tree, and spent many happy hours meandering along a river close to home. Breeze, birdsong, moonlight, wildflowers - she was attuned to all of earth’s treasures.
Bonnie will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Private memorial service to be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at Schmidt and Bartelt Funeral Home in Wauwatosa, WI.
