Bonny Huestis Obituary (1933 - 2025)

Bonny Margrett Huestis, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed away on December 26, 2025 at the age of 92. She was born in Rio Dell, California on May 29, 1933, to parents Oscar and Wealthy Rickter as the third of four children, and the first daughter. The large and close-knit extended family was a blend of Swedish and Irish heritages. The family moved to Davis, CA, where she attended elementary school through high school. She and her siblings were isolated socially and geographically from the “town kids,” but life on the farm included a lot of good times as well as the daily chores. Bonny delayed going to college due to her mother’s health conditions that left her bedridden, but eventually went to Sierra College in Auburn. During her freshman year at a student mixer she met sophomore Laurence Huestis. She became more interested when she saw him later in the church choir. Their first date was to a Masquerade Ball, dressed as a pioneer couple with him in a coonskin cap and her in a bonnet—even back then she liked hats! Their friendship and love for each other kept growing, even as Laurence pursed advanced studies at UC Berkeley and UC Davis, and Bonny taught 4th grade near Sacramento. They were married on Feb. 1, 1958, at Pioneer Methodist Church in Auburn. Two years later, the couple and baby daughter Elaine moved to Minneapolis for a year to allow Laurence to finish school. They then moved to Parkland, WA, where Laurence started a 38-year career teaching chemistry at Pacific Lutheran University. Daughter Sharon joined the family soon afterward. Bonny began her lifelong occupation as a homemaker here, and their lives became centered around the university and church. She became an integral part of the Faculty Wives Club at PLU. Laurence and Bonny sang in the choirs at Parkland Methodist Church and later at Puyallup and Summit Methodist Churches. Bonny also taught Sunday School and helped with many various food events. She loved baking and made hundreds (if not thousands) of pies over the years, and it was high praise when Dad said that they were “pretty good for a beginner.” Their home was a testament to her creativity, filled with the palpable warmth of love and the tangible evidence of her talents and generosity in sewing, gardening, flower arranging, and cooking. The yard showed their interest in collecting native plants, some of which were donated to the Biology Department at PLU. Their vegetable garden, rhubarb plants, and marionberry and blueberry bushes produced an abundance that was also shared with friends and neighbors. Bonny sewed items for the home and countless articles of clothing for herself, family and friends. She literally wore out her Elna sewing machine! Bonny also loved collecting and creating recipes, sometimes by necessity to work around her food allergies, but usually to share with others. Bonny's faith was an integral part of her life and she would agree with Lamentations 3:23, which says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (ESV). Two of her favorite hymns were “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “Amazing Grace.” Bonny was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Laurence for sixty years, and her siblings Donald Rickter, Daniel Rickter, and Suzanne Bury. Her legacy of love and resilience continues in her daughters, Elaine (& Steve) Isaak and Sharon Huestis (& David Wills); her grandchildren, Kristen (& Christian) Haynes and Brian (& Kayla) Isaak; great-grandchildren Gavin, Olive and Callahan; five nephews; numerous cousins, along with many friends. Bonny Huestis' life was a beautiful testament to the power of love, the value of creativity, and the importance of family. Although her sweet and feisty personality will be deeply missed, her legacy will continue to inspire those who knew her. Her final resting place will be in the historic Newcastle Cemetery in California, alongside her loving husband and several earlier generations. The family has chosen to designate any memorial gifts to the “Laurence D. and Bonny M. Huestis Endowment for Faculty/Student Summer Research in Chemistry” at PLU (www.plu.edu), or to your local food bank. We invite friends and family to share memories of Bonny and upload photos to her memorial page, as we remember and celebrate her remarkable life.