Bonnie Marie (Snyder) Bills

Bonnie Marie Snyder Bills, our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, November 24, 2021 at the age of 93.  She was born in Salt Lake City on January 16, 1928, the 6th child of Don Vernon Eugene Snyder and Pearl Sperry Snyder. A descendent of Latter-day Saint pioneers, Bonnie was proud of her heritage.

Bonnie grew up in a loving home in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake with a large family.  Throughout her life, her sisters were always her best friends.  Of the “Snyder girls”, as they were known, she was the shy, steady, quiet one.  She graduated from East High School and attended the University of Utah.  On November 5, 1947, she married Hal Doyle Bills in the Salt Lake Temple.  After a couple of years in apartments, they settled in the Canyon Rim area of East Millcreek.  They are the parents of eight children: 4 daughters and 4 sons.  Hal passed away in 1999.  Bonnie lived in the same neighborhood for more than 70 years.

She enjoyed working in her gardens and always had a beautiful yard.  Her home was a happy, safe refuge, and gathering place for her children and grandchildren.  She set a lovely table.  With just a moment’s notice, she could (and often did) put a nice dinner on the table for an unexpected crowd. For many years, she participated in the “Quilting Club” where she had many life-long friends (she outlived most of them); they made hundreds of beautiful quilts over the years.  Until her eyesight went bad, Bonnie was an avid reader.  A lifelong learner, she often attended LDS Institute classes and then would share what she learned with her children.  A BYU Travel Study trip to the Holy Land was one of the highlights of her life.

She had a sense of adventure and would try most anything.  In her forties, Bonnie took up snow skiing and she got her pilots license—she got the highest score of the year on the written exam.  In her eighties, she tried snorkeling in Mexico and kayaking in Alaska.  She loved the excitement of being at sporting events.  For forty years she had season tickets to BYU football games and traveled all over the country to many of the BYU away games.  Her picture is even painted in the stands of Eric Dowdle’s painting of Lavell Edwards Stadium.

Bonnie served faithfully in many callings for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had an unwavering testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  She considered her role of mother to be her most important calling.  She quietly and in an unassuming way, taught her children gospel principles.

She is survived by 6 children: Marjorie Hutchins, Diane Kenison, Shauna (Randy George), Marie (Jeff Hansen), Gary (Kelli McDermott Bills), and Alan Bills, as well as 30 grandchildren and 47 great grandchildren.  She is also survived by two sisters:  Shirley Lee Pratt and Joy (Glenn Jensen), sister-in-law, Linda Snyder, daughters-in-law:  Laural Bills Chambers and Elia Bills, and many nieces and nephews

Bonnie was preceded in death by her husband Hal Doyle Bills, her sons Kenneth G Bills and Brent G Bills, and son-in law, Clyde Kenison.  She is also preceded in death by 6 siblings:  infant sister Helen Snyder, Donna Christensen, Conway “Bud” Snyder, Jeanne Lindorff, Don Snyder and Kay Snyder.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 11:00 AM at the Rosecrest 2nd Ward building, 3101 South 2300 East in Millcreek, Utah.  A viewing and family visitation will be that morning from 9:00 AM to 10:40 AM at the church prior to the service.  She will be laid to rest next to her husband at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.  To view the funeral service on livestream, please click the following link:  http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/Events/saltlakecanyonrimstake