Bonnie Mae Tilus

Bonnie Mae (Wheaton) Tilus passed away on September 12, 2012 in Santa Cruz. She was 89 years old. Bonnie was born in South Dakota to Halford D. Wheaton and Helen Faye Sorenson. She was raised in South Dakota, and graduated from North Central Bible Institute, at the age of 18. Education was a continuing theme in Bonnie's life. She earned a Bachelors' degree in Education from Black Hills State College in 1953. In 1971, Bonnie earned a Teaching Credential and then she obtained a Master's Degree, with a specialization in reading in 1972. Bonnie lived in a number of places during her lifetime, including, Deadwood, South Dakota; Cody, Wyoming; Red Lodge, Montana; and then in the Santa Cruz area since 1965. During her career, Bonnie was a single ordained minister and evangelist, and a teacher in Elementary Schools in Wyoming and South Dakota. She also taught at Live Oak School for over 20 years. Bonnie enjoyed music, arts, and reading, and she was an avid swimmer until she was 80 years old. She was also a world traveler, visiting Africa, Israel, Germany, and Finland, to name a few of Bonnie's destinations. Bonnie was a proud Breast Cancer survivor, since 1985. Bonnie is survived by her husband of 62 years, Reino Raymond Tilus; children, Linda (Tilus) Arzouni, Dr. Michael Tilus and Judy (Tilus) Ogden; sibling, Verlyn Wakefield; grandchildren, Nathan Arzouni, Tami Martinez, Michael David Tilus, Jessicah Tilus, Preston Tilus, Amandah-Beth Tilus, Spenser Tilus and Pamelah Tilus; and six great-grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be at Christian Life Center, 1009 Mission Street in Santa Cruz on Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 beginning at 11 am. Friends are invited to call at the church from 10 am until service time. Interment will take place in Buffalo, South Dakota. Please visit www.pacificgardenschapel.com to light a candle for Bonnie and share any condolences with her family.