Jean Marie Bonin died on December 17th, 2023 at age 83. She was born on June 5th, 1940 in New London, Connecticut to Regis (Tracy) and Robert A. Bonin. She attended St. Patrick’s Grade school and Madonna High School, both in Mauston Wisconsin. Jean received a 4-year academic scholarship to attend Alverno College in Milwaukee. While there, she was elected senior class president and a member of the student council. Graduating in 1962 with a degree in music, Jean is remembered as a very talented and accomplished pianist.
Immediately out of undergraduate school, Jean had the good fortune to be hired as the first director of secondary choral music and District supervision for Elementary classroom music for the newly consolidated River Valley School District (Arena, Lonerock and Spring Green, Wisconsin).
Jean subsequently earned two graduate degrees, one at the University of Wisconsin- Madison in Musicology and one at the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill in Library Science. Her career in music librarianship began with ten years on the faculty of the University of Virginia, where she is fondly remembered as a kind and generous mentor.
Jean is the author of a music reference book, “Piano- Beds and Music by Steam: An Index with Abstracts to music Related United States Patent Records, 1790-1974”
Upon returning to Wisconsin, Jean worked for many years as a police report typist for the city of Madison Police Department. She also established a business enterprise as “The Drummer”, offering transcription services to oral historians locally and across the country.
Family was always very important to Jean, and she often spoke of the privilege and the pleasure of caring for and being with family. She is survived by many cousins and many treasured friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Bob, aunts, uncles, and many long-time friends.
Jeans wish was that we all do a random act of kindness to benefit a U.S. military veteran. Jean’s father was a navy submarine commander lost in WW2.
Memorials in Jean’s name may be made to
The WI veterans Museum
Fisher House Foundation
Agrace Hospice
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jean M. Bonin, please visit our flower store.Guestbook
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