Bonnie Smith Flowers

bonnieflowers911@gmail.com

I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL CHANGES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS SO I AM UPDATING MY PROFILE. THE LATEST CHANGE IS THAT I RETIRED AUGUST 1, 2011, BUT THE MOST TRAUMATIC CHANGE IN MY LIFE WAS LOSING MY OLDEST BROTHER BILL SMITH JULY 14, 2010. I HAVE BEEN VERY BLESSED IN MY LIFE THOUGH LIFE HAS BEEN FULL OF CHALLENGES, BUT MY HEART WAS BROKEN THE DAY I LOST MY BROTHER AND MY LIFE FOREVER CHANGED. THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE LOST MANY FRIENDS & LOVED ONES, BUT ONLY MY MOTHER'S UNTIMELY DEATH IN 1967 AFFECTED MY LIFE AS PROFOUNDLY AS THE DEATH OF MY BROTHER BILL. THIS IS MY LIFE STORY.

I WAS MARRIED 22 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN DIVORCED SINCE 1986. I WAS IN A LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP THAT ENDED AFTER OVER 16 YEARS. SINCE 2002 I HAVE BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHARLIE CROSS. I LOVE COUNTRY AND OLDIES MUSIC AND I LOVE TO DANCE. I ASO ENJOY SWIMMING, RIDING BIKES AND WATCHING MY GRANDCHILDREN PLAY SPORTS AMONG OTHER INTERESTS. I AM STILL IN THE LEARNING STAGES OF GOLF AND PROBABLY WILL BE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, BUT I LOVE IT TOO AND THE PEOPLE I HAVE MET. CHARLIE BOUGHT MY CLUBS FOR ME AND GOT ME STARTED, BUT HE IS A BORN ATHLETE AT SOFTBALL, GOLF, BOWLING, AND IS AN AVID HUNTER AS WELL. HE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN GUERNSEY COUNTY, BUT KNOWS MORE PEOPLE IN LICKING COUNTY THAN I DO, SO I AM OFTEN ON MY OWN WHEN IT COMES TO MY SPARE TIME. I RETIRED AUG 1-2011 WITH ALMOST 26 YEARS OF SERVICE AS A DISPATCHER WITH THE HEATH POLICE DEPARTMENT & 25 YEARS OF VARIOUS JOBS FROM CARHOP TO WAITRESS TO FACTORY TO INCOME TAX PREPARATION TO ACCOUNTING & OFFICE JOBS. I RECENTLY TOOK A PART TIME SEASONAL JOB PREPARING TAXES @ DAVID B. WILLS & ASSOCIATES. I WORKED FOR DAVE FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS BEFORE MY DISPATCHING CAREER BEGAN, AND AM ENJOYING WORKING WITH HIS PLEASANT OFFICE STAFF INCLUDING HIS SON, COREY. I WANT TO TRAVEL BUT JUST NEVER SEEM TO DO SO. I KEEP PUTTING EVERYTHING OFF, SO I HOPE I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN MY HEALTH SO THAT I CAN ENJOY MY RETIREMENT.

I ATTENDED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT CHERRY VALLEY AND MAHOLM. I ATTENDED WILSON JR HIGH UNTIL 9TH GRADE WHEN I MOVED IN WITH MY UNCLE AND AUNT AT MARBLEHEAD OH ON LAKE ERIE. MY MOTHER WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH TUBERCULOSIS FOR TWO YEARS AND THE 2ND YEAR OF THAT TIME I ATTENDED SCHOOL AT DANBURY TWP AT MARBLEHEAD. I LOVED IT THERE BUT MOVED BACK TO NEWARK IN TIME TO START SCHOOL AT NEWARK HIGH WHEN MY MOTHER WAS WELL ENOUGHT TO RETURN HOME. I GOT MARRIED MY SENIOR YEAR AND HAD TWO BABIES ONE AFTER ANOTHER, THEN RETURNED TO NEWARK HIGH PARTTIME TO OBTAIN MY DIPLOMA IN 1966. I HAVE NEVER ATTENDED A CLASS REUNION, BUT ENJOY THE MIXERS. MY BEST FRIEND IS SHARON LALLATHIN( BOLTON), NOW (CARSON) WHO GRADUATED FROM SHERIDAN AFTER A LIFETIME OF ATTENDING NEWARK SCHOOLS. I MET SHARON WHILE WE WERE BOTH CARHOPS AT BISHOP'S DRIVE INN WHERE BURGER KING NOW STANDS ON HEBRON RD. THE GUYS USED TO GO TO SANDY'S ON HEBRON RD TO GET THEIR FOOD AND COME TO BISHOP'S TO GET THEIR DRINKS BECAUSE BISHOP'S HAD CARHOPS. IN FACT IT WAS THERE THAT I MET MY HUSBAND AND SHARON IS THE ONE WHO INTRODUCED US. SHARON MET HER HUSBAND WUB THERE ALSO, BUT UP UNTIL THEN WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD TIMES IN HER OLD CHEVY CORVAIR. WE HAD TO CARRY EXTRA FAN BELTS IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. WHAT A SUMMER THAT WAS! IN FACT WHEN MY PARENTS MOVED MY SENIOR YEAR, THAT SUMMER SHARON'S FAMILY WAS KIND ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME TO LIVE WITH THEM FOR THE SUMMER. I'M PRETTY SURE THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THEY WONDERED IF THAT WAS A MISTAKE PUTTING HER AND I IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD. THE ENTIRE FAMILY WAS VERY GOOD TO ME.