Boyd "Barney" L. Bonnewell

DIXON- Boyd L. “Barney” Bonnewell, 87 of Dixon passed away on Sunday, February 26, 2017 at his home in Dixon.

Barney was born on March 2, 1929 in Bloomington, IL, the son of Selba John and Mollie Izora White-Bonnewell.  He married Margie Johnson on September 27, 1952 in Dixon.  She precedes him in death.

Surviving are four children, April (Terry) Spencer of Dixon, Bobbi (Louie Cecchetti) Darr of Dixon, Curtis Jay Bonnewell of Temp, AZ., and Brent E. (DeAnn) Bonnewell of Dixon; four grandchildren, Creedence (Jami), Casey, George III (Jennifer), and Breann; nine great-grandchildren, Zach, Alec, David, Elisabeth, Isabell, Clark, Addison, Blake, and Liam; two sisters, Bonnie (Edward) Meints of Peoria, IL and Betty Hall of Belleville, MI. 

Preceding him in death are his parents; wife, Margie; son, Boyd “Butch” Bonnewell; and sister, Berniece Young. 

Barney was a very proud Army veteran of the Korean War.  He took great pride in his service to his country, and was a life-long member of the American Legion Local #60 in Morton, IL.  In the 50’s and 60’s, he owned the Mecca and the Cottage Inn Taverns in Dixon, where he made many friends among the patrons. 

An avid builder of many things, he was a hard worker and great boilermaker and mathematician.  You could often find him building things in his garage.  When he was not working or building things, he enjoyed playing pinochle, euchre, and solving every puzzle in the three newspapers he received daily.  Barney was a huge and life-long Chicago Cubs and Bears fan, and loved to play golf.

Barney was fun-loving, a great story teller, and a great friend to all those who knew him.  But most of all, he was a loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother, and he will be greatly missed.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with a service immediately following at Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 1121 N. Galena Ave., Dixon, IL.  Burial will be in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.

 Service Information