Bonnie Sue Hefley

Bonnie Sue Hefley was born February 9, 1935, in Elizabethtown, Illinois, to the late Arthur and Lemah (Watson) Birch. She passed peacefully on Friday, June 24, 2022, in Davis, at the age of 87 years, 4 months, and 15 days.

Due to the nature of her stepfather’s (Earl Hayes) job, Bonnie lived in numerous places while growing up. One of those places was Davis, where she attended Davis High School, during her junior year. Ultimately, she always called Elizabethtown her home, where she returned to graduate high school. Immediately following her 1953 graduation from Elizabethtown High School, a young man named James T. Hefley, Jr from Davis, OK, along with the help of his best friend Richard Digby, “stole” Bonnie, according to her mother, and brought her back to Davis. She had met James during her junior year. James knew the moment he met her, she would one day be his wife, even if he had to drive to Illinois to get her. The very next day after returning home to Davis, June 27, 1953, Bonnie and James made a trip to Gainesville, TX, where they were united in marriage…. and the rest is history! Bonnie passed just three days prior to their 69th wedding anniversary.

Bonnie was a rather quiet individual by nature. Although soft spoken, she ruled with an iron fist, or according to the grandchildren, a ping-pong paddle. Bonnie devoted her life to caring for her husband, sons, and grandchildren, not to mention numerous area children that she babysat. To one and all, she was simply “Nanny Bon” earning this title from her grandchildren, which she proudly carried for the rest of life. She loved spending quality time with her family and friends, which always included lots of good food and fun. Everyone was welcome to her table, no one walked away hungry.

Bonnie was a loyal fan of the Davis Wolves. If the Wolves were playing, she and James were there to cheer them on. She also spent several years working as the local librarian in Davis, as well as working for the Murray County Election Board and distributing commodities. Bonnie was very active with James, her sons, and grandsons on the family farm. She would go daily with James to “check the farm.” Often, she would sit in the truck or on the porch of their cabin and read while he was on the tractor. She cherished her time on the farm. Bonnie also enjoyed collecting old baby dolls, crocheting new clothes for them and giving them to the little girls that didn’t have any.


Survivors include her husband, James; two sons, Stan Hefley & wife Pam, and Darrell Hefley & wife Cindy, all of Davis; four grandchildren, Tom Hefley & wife Julie, Patrick Hefley & wife Elissa, Zane Hefley, and Brenna Hefley; six great-grandchildren, Braeden, Dalton, Lily, Danilyn, Wyatt, and Gunner; one brother, Earl Gene Hayes & wife Alma of Illinois; three sisters, Sharon Martin & husband Mike of Indiana, Janet Loisel, and Joan Mackey of New York; special neighbors Justin and Bree Roady; a host of in-laws, nieces, and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Bonnie was preceded in death by her stepfather, Earl Hayes; one sister, Carolyn “Cackie” Easley; and one brother, William “Willie” Birch.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00AM, on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at the Hale’s Memorial Chapel in Davis, with her grandson, Pastor Tom Hefley and the Reverend Eddie Thompson officiating. Interment will follow at the Green Hill Cemetery in Davis.

Serving as pallbearers will be Tom Hefley, Patrick Hefley, Zane Hefley, Dalton Hefley, Justin Roady, Nathan Roady, David Warren, and Donnie Ramer. Honorary bearers will be Wayne Fox, Bobby Del Hefley, and Wilda (Lewis) Archer.