Bonnie Willey joined the Board of Directors Centre County United Nations Association in 2005, after retiring from an extremely successful career teaching children. Because of her devotion to the goals of the United Nations and her career as an educator, Bonnie was the perfect board member to take over the leadership of our Education Committee.  With great energy, enthusiasm and creativity, Bonnie led our Chapter to do its most important work - teaching citizens of Centre County about the vital role played by the United Nations and offering opportunities for citizen involvement.  To this end, Bonnie and her committee helped developed local programming on the Millennium Development Goals and identified the role each of us could play in honoring and striving to reach these goals. While she helped people of all ages, her talents were unequaled when the focus was on children.  During a year when our United Nations Day worked on education related to climate change, Bonnie's submitted a successful proposal to the Centre Foundation and our Chapter was awarded the funds to purchase age appropriate books on climate change that would encourage child involvement in "making a difference."  Bonnie and fellow board member Latha Bhushan spent endless hours reviewing and selecting what they considered the most meaningful books for Centre County children and adolescents. On United Nations Day, with great thanks to Centre Foundation, Bonnie and Latha presented many, many amazing climate change books to every elementary and secondary school and every library in Centre County.... fellow board members will always remember that Bonnie's favorite was "Theo and the Giant Plastic Ball."

In addition to her work with the Education Committee, Bonnie worked with our Council of Organizations members to help develop and promote outstanding UN Day dinner celebrations, which attracted up to 150 guests, many of whom are internationals. With her creative writing and artistic abilities, Bonnie designed attractive theme-based programs and centerpieces. Bonnie was also a proud member of UNA-USA at the national level. On a most memorable occasion, Bonnie and fellow board member Norma Keller enjoyed a beautiful, snowy train ride to New York City to attend a UNA international conference held at the UN. Norma remembers that Bonnie dazzled guests from 50 nations as she spoke with great pride about the many accomplishments of our UNA Chapter in Centre County Pennsylvania......Bonnie was the key to so many of those accomplishments.

In 2011, Bonnie had to leave much of her life behind to move to Oregon to receive highly specialized health care in her relentless battle against recurring lymphoma.  It was lymphoma that suddenly claimed Bonnie's life only 12 days ago.  Bonnie's daughter, Savonn Weyland, wrote a stirring obituary which touched the hearts of all who loved Bonnie.  Our favorite line summarized the Bonnie we all knew so well and loved so dearly.  "She was a kind, strong, principled woman, endowed with a deep well of wisdom.  She inspired the best in the many that she touched, encouraging them to embrace life."  For those of us who had the joy of working with Bonnie, every one of these words ring true.