Bonnie Joan "Eads" Ridenour
November 1, 1948 ~ March 23, 2021
It is with great sadness that the family of Bonnie Joan “Eads” Ridenour announces her passing on March 23, 2021 in her home surrounded by her family at the age of 72. Bonnie was born November 1, 1948 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Bonnie graduated from Emmerich Manual High School in Indianapolis in 1967. At age 17 she worked at Commercial Motor Freight for 16 years. For her remaining career she worked as an administrative assistant in the medical field for Indiana University School of Medicine in the Radiology Department then Cardiothoracic Surgery retiring in 2016 but continued to work part time as a Data Specialist in the Cardiac Data and Outcomes Center with Riley Hospital for Children until her passing.
A woman of strong faith, she was highly involved and a member of Southport Presbyterian Church for many years. Church involvement played a major role in her life. She shared her gift with her small group and loved helping with Southport Great Banquet serving men and women. Because of her love and passion for children she also sponsored a boy from Haiti and a girl from Thailand through Compassion International to help them receive basic needs. She was a devoted mother and grandmother, loved her grandbabies turning her pristine home into their playground. She had a special knack for listening and making each person feel valued and loved. Bonnie enjoyed writing stories and poems about the people in her life. Her quick witted humor created many enjoyable moments while reading these about ourselves or others. We will treasure these for the rest of our lives. Hobbies include playing pretend with her grandchildren, shopping, going to movies, working in her yard, playing card games with family and friends and taking the yearly family trip to Destin Florida.
Her capacity to persevere, no matter the obstacles, is one of her most enduring legacies, one we proudly carry forward. Our beautiful, loving Bonnie, Mom, Grammy, Sister, will forever be missed and will always be in our hearts.
She was preceded in death by her mother Velma Louise McClain, step father Max McClain and father James Edward Eads. Survivors include her daughter, Nicole Kiefer (Matt), three grandchildren, Elliana, Ariana and Ryan Kiefer. Siblings include Gary Meece (Dotty), Edwina Griffith, Richard Eads (Debbie). Her nephews and nieces, Michael and Kyle Griffith, Brian Meece, Thomas Eads, Melissa Ridenour, Debbie Brinker, Donna White, and Timmy Branham.
For those wishing to honor Bonnie we invite you to commit random acts of kindness because of her unique ability to make people feel special and loved. The family requests memorial contributions to be made to Compassion International or Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Center Point, Indiana.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM in the O’Riley Funeral Home, 6107 South East Street, Indianapolis. The funeral service will begin at 10:00 AM in the funeral home on Thursday, April 1, 2021. Burial will follow the service in St. Joseph Cemetery, Indianapolis. Please visit www.ORileyFuneralHome.com to share a favorite memory or leave an online condolence for Bonnie’s family.
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I am so, so sorry for her family’s loss. Bonnie was one of the sweetest woman that I have had the honor to know. She was beautiful inside and out! I know she is resting in God’s loving arms! R.I.H. precious Bonnie.
I met Bonnie at her first Great Banquet, and we were in a small group for a while. What an amazing beautiful woman of God. We served together in Great Banquet several times also. I will so miss her warm cheerful eyes- her kind words- and her listening heart. Judy Dietrich
2 Timothy 4:7. Bonnie was indeed one of the lovliest and most authentic women I have ever known. Such a genuine and delightful personality.
Bonnie was so welcoming to me when I started my first job out of college. I will always remember her kindness. Such a warm, friendly person. So sorry for your loss.
Bonnie made the room light up! Her joy, wit and compassion was felt by all she connected with. It was a true joy and honor to work alongside Bonnie.
The bright light in our team at Riley. Working with her was delight and a blessing. We traded jokes and poems and laughed so much. She was organized, smart, and willing to help anyone. I have many fond memories of the Birthday Queen of our Riley team.
You are loved and will be missed, but the beautiful memories remain. Blessings abound with love shared.
Bonnie was my niece. The morning she was born (I was living with her Mom, my sister at that time) I was getting ready for school when my sister went into labor with Bonnie. In the 1940’s most children were born at home and Bonnie was no exception. I wanted to stay home so I would be right there when she made her appearance. Of course I lost the battle and was sent off to school. But, when I got home she was there, sweet and crying her head off. When she was old enough for me to carry around I took her every where. I am surprised my hip is not deformed from caring her on my hip. Bonnie was a loving and caring daughter, loving and caring sister, but most importantly Bonnie was a devoted Mom to Nikki and an adoring grandmother. She and her sister Edwina (Winnie) were contacted at the heart and was devoted to each other. Bonnie was sassy, and was not afraid to speak her mind. My daughters drove her crazy because they would not stay out of her room. Her room was truly a fascination to them no matter how many times they were told to not go into Bonnie’s room! I am glad she will be united with her Mom Louise and Dad Max. God is so lucky because He has another Angel to set my His Right Hand. Rest in peace Bonnie you have earned it. All our love, Aunt Pattie, Lisa and Lori
With heartfelt condolences,
The first time I met Bonnie was when Gerry and I were newlyweds. Across the street was this very attractive, fair skinned lady with amazing blue eyes. She was our neighbor! When you knocked on their front door, here came Bonnie bent over and scurrying behind their little white dog to stop it from beating it out the door. A few years later we had our son Jordan and they had Nikki. They were the same age and often invited Jordan to do fun things with the three of them. A clear memory was Bonnie bringing over the most beautiful and girlie bonnet for our daughter Jorjette when she was born. Bonnie to me was practical and level headed. Here is the problem and this is how you fix it. The loving kindness of the Lord flowed from her, to others all around her. An amazing mother and she had a great sense of humor. She was caring and forgiving. So grateful God crossed our paths. Now in her “forever home” waiting for those she loves and hugging that little white dog.
May all of the good memories be a comfort to you.
With loving memories of “Bonnie Ridenour”,
You will be in our hearts and minds forever.
Our deepest condolences in the loss of your mom. We are praying for your family.
Sorry for your loss but I’m sure she’s in heaven now with Jesus, talking face to face.
We love you Nikki, Matt and family. Praying for comfort for you.
So Sorry for your loss! We’ll remember her everyday! Love – Oscar, Julie & Phil Rodgers
Wishing you peace to bring comfort, courage to face the days ahead and loving memories to forever hold in your hearts forever.
Wishing you peace to bring comfort, courage to face the days ahead and loving memories to forever hold in your hearts.
Bonnie was an amazing woman loving and caring and funny she was a part of my small group My dear friend and my sister in Christ she will forever be missed. Condolences to her family Nikki Matt and the kids and her sister. May she forever rest in the arms of Jesus. Jacquie McMahon
Dear bereaved,
When we moved into our new forever home, right next door, Bonnie was the first to greet us, with a big smile and a great interest in our family and children. She was thrilled to have kids of similar ages to her wonderful grandchildren nearby, so they would have playmates just across the squatty fence that divides our properties. Our kids gravitated to her immediately—especially our daughter, Charlie, who frequently dashed from the car after school to interrupt Bonnie’s lawn care travails with an extra-fuzzy plucked dandelion and a thousand questions.
Our children and Bonnie’s grandchildren became friends as they visited, but sometimes our kids would just stroll over and ring her doorbell, to be welcomed inside to do crafts and such and play just with her.
Speaking for myself and for my Wife (who is coincidentally also named Bonnie), it has been such a gift to have this glowingly positive, inquisitive, insightful, and joyful woman as our next-door neighbor.
We must have had a hundred conversations across a fence or a hose over these too-few years, and we hold her friendship and intellect in high regard. We did not know her as a young woman, or as a mother, but we knew her as a strong, wise, trustworthy, helpful, kind, and independent woman, worthy of respect.
Bonnie was push-mowing her lawn and carefully and laboriously tending to her plants and flowers as we last spoke together last fall. She took well-earned pride in the hard work of cultivating the most verdant lawnscape in the neighborhood, just as she took pride in her own family, and in the families she has embraced, like ours. She seemed vivified, healthy, optimistic, and unstoppable.
Bonnie sent us a letter weeks ago to tell us that the cancer had returned. We were quite concerned, but her assurances in the letter that she was doing fine and that her sister was helping her gave us confidence that we would see our friend again soon, plucking weeds and mulching. We set it aside as one does with these things. With spring’s return we would see the return of Bonnie with leather-gloved hands, sweating over her flowers and her push-mower. We would clean her mower deck and sharpen the blades.
We were shocked to learn of her death. On vacation, our kids were messaging with Elliana and Ariana when our poor girl Charlie, stunned, had to deliver the horrible news. We cried and prayed for Bonnie.
Without Bonnie to tend, her verdant lawn, her carefully pruned plants, her eager-to-blossom bulbs, her new fence which will never restrain the dog she wished for but never got to have… they will all wither and blight.
But forever fixed in our memories is a person in full bloom, full of love and hope, and without restraint.
These will never wither.
Love,
The Craig Family (7935)
BEST. NEIGHBOR. EVER. We will miss you terribly. We love you!
Dana and Gerry, It is inspiring to read about your love for Bonnie, as it is a reflection or inversion of our own, in a different time. This wonderful person has truly touched lives and loved many for her entire life. We can only hope to live up to her example.
Amazing! I wish you and yours peace in the knowledge that your baby girl made my baby girl super-happy and that she was impossible to exhaust in conversation. We loved her, and she loved us.