Bonnie Louise Gaughan (Stonehouse)

Bonnie Gaughan died at the age of 88 on April 19, 2025 at Huntsville Hospital with her family present.

Bonnie was born April 2, 1937 in Whitby, Ontario, the second of seven children of Ruth and William Stonehouse. She grew up on the family farm by Lake Ontario. As a young woman, she gave up a job at General Motors in Oshawa and went by ship to Europe in order to travel and have adventures (including meeting Hemingway outside a bullfight in Spain with a group of new friends). After returning, she eventually went to stay with her brother Grant in Sioux Lookout, where she met her future husband.

Kevin and Bonnie eventually settled in Huntsville in 1964 where Kevin taught Science and Chemistry at Huntsville High School and Bonnie became an active member of the community. She was a member of Trinity United Church for sixty years; serving as an Elder, contributing to many church events for decades; and serving on numerous committees well into her 80s. Some of the other volunteer work she was involved in over the years included starting a Scout group when she first moved to town; working for the Huntsville Public Library for a number of years, including serving as Chair of the board; serving on the local health council in the 1980s, and being a founding member of the first women’s shelter in Huntsville.

In addition to volunteer work, Bonnie worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources starting in the mid-1970s, initially at the High Falls office, and then in the regional office in Huntsville. She enjoyed curling socially in Ministry bonspiels that were held during this period. She worked for Natural Resources until she retired in the 1990s.

Bonnie kept active after her retirement. She enjoyed golfing; her book club and coffee club; sewing and knitting for family members (and knitting hats for newborns at the hospital); working in her garden; walking; visiting family in various cities; and travelling overseas (including, but not limited to, countries such as Greenland, Iceland, Greece, Portugal, Malaysia and Burma). She had a wide circle of friends and kept in touch with old acquaintances from Huntsville and beyond.

Bonnie was predeceased by her husband, Kevin Gaughan, and is survived by her children; Tara, Timothy (Laura), Michael (Jennifer), Margo (Jay) and Daniel. She also leaves twelve grandchildren whom she loved very much; Molly, James, Sarah, Matthew, Emma, Madeleine, Alex, Kate, Heidi, Joseph, Grace and Elsa. She will be very sadly missed.