Nancy Sue Bonner

Nancy Sue (Mahaffey) Bonner, age 76, was surrounded by love as she went peacefully to Heaven on August 15, 2019. Through the years, Nancy was known to many as Sue or Susan Bonner. She left behind family members who lovingly called her Aunt Sue, Aunt Mac, Nano or MOM. She was born on December 3, 1943 in her beloved Houston, Texas. There she grew up and lived much of her life. This precious life will be celebrated by family and friends on Saturday, September 28th at 2 o’clock. The Heights Villa at 3600 Michaux Street in Houston will be the place to gather to send off this sweet soul. She didn’t want anything fussy, so western wear is welcome at a reunion she would have enjoyed.

Nancy Sue had fond memories of schools like Wharton Elementary and San Jacinto High School, where she graduated in 1961. She enjoyed playing volleyball until she broke a nail. When she was young, she worked at the nearby Tower Theater as an “Usherette,” back in the days when the historic Tower played first run movies. She remembered seeing all the new releases with a flashlight in her hand. It was there she grew her lifelong love of Hollywood lore. Even in her final days, she enjoyed asking her loved ones to Google some of the lesser reported on, more aged Hollywood stars or recording artists. Nancy Sue loved to dance and said she enjoyed both kinds of music- Country and Western. She remembered a day when a kid named Kenny Rogers rode his bike to meet her sister on the front porch, only to be shooed off by their father. In her younger years, she loved live music and saw Willie Nelson from his very early days up until her last Willie concert (1995) at the old Backyard just outside of Austin. On the way to the Emergency Room, she requested to listen to Willie’s Roadhouse to hear some old favorites on the short ride to where she would pass the next day. Her calendar was found to have an entry for “Dancing with the Stars” premier in September of 2019. Sadly, she didn’t make it to her Monday night ballroom appointment that she so loved. “Tonight, we dance!” was her Monday mantra when it was dancing season.

If asked, she would say her #1 job was Mom, but she did have an interesting career life. Early on, she worked in a Downtown Houston office for Tennessee Gas. She was a flight attendant, then known as a stewardess, for Trans-Texas Airways. TTA was later bought by Continental. Nancy Sue remembered being weighed/measured for the job and, jokingly, said they had to be able to touch their elbows behind their backs to get hired. She was glad for the changes in aviation! In the 1980’s, Sue worked for Estee Lauder and was known to always have such passion for a strict beauty regimen. She only left the house once in her life without (at least) a little lip color on. With a location and name change to Susan, she loved working for Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas for well over a decade. The hustle and bustle in the daytime was exciting and just enough for her. She was always home well before dark and was an early to bed, early to rise kind of girl. She thought it was so fun to meet random, famous folks at Caesar’s. She always said the nicest people were Ivanka Trump and Mr. Worldwide, Pitbull. Sometime around 2009, she moved back to Houston, and made marvelous friends at HEB on Bunker Hill. An avid reader, she honed her crime solving skills, solving many crimes before they were even committed! A generous edit placed her right between Farrah Fawcett and Sam Elliot in the 1981 movie, “Murder in Texas.” It was right in her wheelhouse, as it was filmed in Houston, about the murder of a Houston socialite.

In the mid 1960’s, she met and married a man by the name of Linden Thomas Bonner, Jr. Together, they raised two children, Brooke Bonner and Linden Thomas “Lin” Bonner, III. Although later divorced, she always felt blessed that they remained friends. Her fondest years were spent driving carpool and enjoying Westbury National Little League and Willowisp Country Club. Disneyland and seeing Elvis in the Astrodome were cherished memories. Both Linden and son, Lin, preceded her in death. Lin passed the very week she completed her Chemotherapy and Radiation in 2012. Nancy Sue Bonner had two beloved grandsons, Mitchell Bruce and Thomas Linden (Fernald) Bonner. She, especially, enjoyed the summer of 2017 when they all lived under one roof! Brooke Bonner (Bruce,) now married to Bob Gentry, mourns the loss of her family and, especially, the recent passing of her beloved mother. A cancer diagnosis in 2012 brought Nancy Sue Bonner to Austin to live with her daughter and Mitchell. After married, Bob moved in and they became dear friends. He was a vital part of her care team to the end. When well enough, she worshiped at Life Austin. She loved Pastor Randy Phillips and his powerful messages filled with music and his quick sense of humor. She was so thankful for being able to enjoy all of Mitchell’s life milestones. Her presence became even more special after she fell ill. She did her best to be a regular on the bleachers at Pop Warner, Northwest Little League and Hyde Park K-12. She didn’t think she would live long enough, but she was so happy to be able to attend graduation and take a college visit to TCU. She was a huge football fan and TCU became her team to watch every fall weekend since 2015. The Dallas Cowboys were always her #1 pro team. “Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders- Making the Team,” another competition show, was a fun topic for family discussions her last few months. The lady was crazy about the family dog, a Corgi named $horty. Each October, she looked to attend the Corgi Celebration that she so enjoyed. She had a window garden of baby plants. She loved to drink coffee while watching the frolicking squirrels eat corn that hung on the trees outside.

Nancy Sue was preceded in death by her beloved older sister and best friend, Allice Faye (Mahaffey) Dacy, and Allice’s daughter Cortney Dacy Eusepi. She was so thankful to have a very special relationship with these two. They all had a very bonding time while living in Las Vegas. The love carries on with Cortney’s precious daughter, Tyler Eusepi Callahan and her husband, Kelly, with their new daughter Allye (named for her grandmother.) Much loved nephew, Mark Dacy, survives these losses along with his wife, Becky, and their children, Kelsey and Jacob Dacy.

Little sister, Jodi Mahaffey Sanford, and her husband Steve Sanford, were very important to her and loved so very much. Their relationship meant the world to Nancy Sue Bonner. Also grieving, are their two sons and their families. Jeff Sanford, wife Jackie, and new baby, Daphne, will miss her. She was never well enough to meet the baby but was always hoping to be able to do so one day. Mac Sanford and his awesome children, Brock and Cassie Sanford always brought a smile to her face! Younger brother, Guy Mahaffey, gave her fond memories of his youthful antics. Around 2013, another branch of the family tree came along when she and the family were discovered by an older brother, Mike Barry, who they never knew. He and his wife, Marianne, were welcomed in and loved dearly. That DNA is powerful stuff! No testing was needed when everyone united for a first meeting and all looked alike!!

Nancy Sue Bonner was a very sweet, funny, sentimental and beautiful Southern Lady. She was caring, thoughtful and generous. Even when living on a very limited income, she found money each month for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Donations have been made in her honor and are so very meaningful and appreciated. She prayed, mightily, for the healing of each and every one of the children in their care.

The family is grateful to the people who loved her and/or cared for her, including her sweet friends that she cherished. Thank you to Dr. Michael Kasper of Texas Oncology, Dr. Peter Nutson of Well Med and Seaton Hospital for her extra 7 years. In addition to her Celebration of Life in Houston on September 28, Nancy Sue Bonner will be among those remembered at a Remembrance Service on Sunday, October 20, at 2:30 at the McFadden Auditorium at Seaton Medical Center in Austin.