Bonnie Ruth Huddleston

Bonnie Ruth Huddleston passed from this life on Sunday, May 31 to join her heavenly Father and her heavenly family.

She was born on June 21, 1924 in Caddo, Oklahoma to Bernard Williams and Bessie (Kelley) Williams. When she was three years old, her mother passed away and she was brought to live with her mother's parents in Fulbright, Texas. Soon after her arrival her grandfather passed away and she was then raised by her Grandmammy Kelley. While living in Fulbright, she met and married Gilbert Huddleston on June 12, 1942, five days before he left for the army and World War ll. While

Gilbert was in service, Bonnie attended Paris Jr. College for two years and was offered a job at Fulbright teaching business subjects to students she had gone to school with! She continued her studies at East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce (now A&M Commerce). She finished her B.S. degree in June of 1946.

After finishing her degree, the war was over, so Bonnie and Gilbert moved to Deport where she got a teaching position at Deport High School. In 1947 she welcomed her first son Gary.

She began teaching English and Choral in 1948 at Bogata High School. Another son, Berney was welcomed in 1950. After a two-year absence

Bonnie began teaching business at Cunningham High School in Lamar County, Texas.

In November 1954 they welcomed a third son, Rex.

After a year, she took a job at East Lamar High School in Pattonville, once again, teaching business.

Bonnie returned to the Bogata school system in 1959. She earned her Master’s Degree in Business and Counseling at East Texas State University. She became counselor at Rivercrest in the 1975-76 school year, a position she held for ten years until her retirement from Rivercrest ISD in 1988 after forty plus years in the educational field. She was later inducted into the Rivercrest Education Hall of Fame.

Bonnie and Gilbert had been frequent visitors to Branson and Colorado during the summer, so after retirement they really started to travel becoming snowbirds in the winter traveling to south Texas for many years.

After Gilbert's passing, Bonnie renewed her friendship with a fellow teacher, Billie Pirtle and they became "Thelma and Louise" as they traveled the United States. What fun they had! After Billie's passing, she found two more travel buddies: her special niece Linda Pack and a special cousin Kay King German. Her last major trip was to Beaver's Bend for a family reunion where she insisted on driving herself. On the way she passed her grandson and his family on the Idabel bypass and they were obeying the speed limit! She later said, "l was just driving my age! 90!

Bonnie was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Bogata for many years. She studied her Bible faithfully and relied on God for her strength. She loved her church and church family.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents; Bernard and Bessie (Kelley) Williams; husband Gilbert; sister Irene Abbott and brother-in-law Weldon; brother Ray Williams and wife Camilla; sons Gary and Rex; and grandsons Randy Huddleston and Allen Dale Huddleston. Survivors include son, Berney Huddleston and wife Jamie; daughter-in-law Susie Huddleston; grandsons Clayton Huddleston and wife Dee, Cortney Huddleston and wife Jennifer, Chase Huddleston, Jared Huddleston and wife Kerri, granddaughter-in-law Stacy Huddleston, ten great-grandchildren, Charity Phillips, Ryan Huddleston, Ally and Hope Huddleston, Rylie and Logan Huddleston, Carlee and Camryn Huddleston, Caenon and Deacon Huddleston;  and two great-great grandchildren, Ashlynn and Cason Byrd.

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at the Bogata Cemetery pavilion. Visitation will be held an hour prior to the service. Services under the direction of Wood-Haggard Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Bogata Cemetery Association, c/o Alice Ann White, 104 Mt. Vernon Rd, Bogata, Tx. 75417 or the Rivercrest Education Foundation, c/o Ann Smith. 4126 Hwy 271 S., Bogata, Tx. 75417

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