Robert J. Bonea

Robert J Bonea, age 79, late of Glenwood, IL. U.S. Air Force Veteran. Preceded in death by parents Lorriane (Krantz) and James Bonea and his brother Gerald and life partner Joanne Mercurio. Bob is survived by his siblings Carol Bonea, Bill Bonea, Mary (late Richard) Bohacik, Janice (Jim) Springsteen and Susan (late Paul) Dagnillo. His nephews and nieces- David, Julie, Jimmy, Christie (Pete), Suzie, PJ, Jennifer (Aaron) and Michael and great uncle to Aidan, MaKayla and Anthony and, lastly "his kids" Bella and Angel. Visitation and Funeral Service will be held Sunday February 27, from 1 pm until the time of service at 3:30pm at the Tews-Ryan Funeral Home 18230 Dixie Highway in Homewood. Interment private. For additional information contact 708-798-5300.

A tribute from his Niece

I think one of the more infamous stories of my Godfather, our Uncle Bob (US Air Force Captain) was the time in Vietnam- during the war- that he accidentally overslept, telling his unit he would take the next Jeep to the worksite and meet them.. the Jeep he should have been on was ambushed and the United States lost several servicemen that day- my uncle losing his brothers. This would be the first of many times Uncle Bob would say- not today death.. not today.

Continuing his work, an auditor for the military, he landed himself an office in the Pentagon- making our grandmother one proud little lady.. luckily, he wasn't in the Pentagon at the time of American Airlines flight 77 hijack on 9/11, but again, so close... but not today.

As the years went on, exposure to Agent Orange from the war took a toll on his health causing various cancers and issues. Sometime in the 2000's, Uncle Bob met up with Dr Sugarbaker, from Boston's Bringham and Women's hospital, who recreated and reconstructed an entirely new esophagus for Uncle Bob using his large intestines... a complicated, hard surgery which miraculously gave him an extra 20+ years on Earth.. bonus time because again, death couldn't beat him..

Having lived majority of his life on the East Coast led him to meeting the love of his life Joanne.. a beautiful, feisty Portuguese woman who we all adored. Together, they raised, loved and doted on countless shih tzus throughout both of their lives.. Us nieces and nephews knew we were cherished by our Uncle, but his first loves- even over Aunt Joanne- were his dogs, aka "his kids".  He is survived by two, Bella and Angel, that my amazing mother will now love and cherish.

Notorious for giving all of us, his family, $2 bills for every holiday, birthday, event known to man, it's only ironic that when he finally decided to close his eyes for the final time it was this past Tuesday- 2.22.22.. his last goodbye to us, his final show of love.

Rest easy now Captain... your final mission is over.