Bonnie Ortiz
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Although we each have only one life, few of us live it to the fullest. Bonnie Provart Ortiz was one of such few. Bonnie was born to Bernis and Arline Provart on November 11, 1940, in Tamaroa, Illinois. She died on November 25, 2008. Bonnie married her best friend and high school sweetheart, Robert Ortiz, on February 28, 1959, with whom she shared her life for nearly 50 years. Together they had four children, Michael, Stephen, Linda, and Douglas.
Although Bonnie was busy working and raising young children, she pursued her education, ultimately obtaining her master's degree. She spent more than 20 years at the University of Wisconsin Madison, (including the turbulent 60s), part of that time working in the Office of Budget, Planning & Analysis and in the Affirmative Action department, acting a s the interim director for several years. She then accepted a position with Penn State University in 1990, serving as the Director of Affirmative Action, until her retirement in 2001. Following Bonnie's retirement, she and Bob moved to Gulf Breeze, Florida where they made their home.
Bonnie was a true Renaissance woman. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she was a gifted musician, fabulous cook, accomplished seamstress, could knit and crochet beautifully, and was a voracious reader. She loved her church, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, where she happily volunteered many hours. She, along with Bob and their granddaughter Alexandra, also performed with the Gulf Coast Chorale. She loved to travel, and she and Bob have been all over the world, and to most states. One of their most memorable trips was to China where they spent two months in 2006 teaching conversational English to Chinese students.
Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents Bernis and Arline Provart, mother-in-law and father-in-law Dorothy and Henry Woodside, brother-in-law Ronald Price, and sister-in-law Dolores Rice. She is survived by her husband Robert, children Michael, Stephen (Colleen), Linda Blouin (Charles), Douglas (Sandra), and cherished grandchildren, Shane Dorn, Elizabeth Ortiz, Jesse, Alexandra, and Corey Ortiz, Suzanne and Rebecca Blouin, and Lauren and Makenna Ortiz. She is also survived by her sisters and brothers, Barbara Price, Robert (Patricia) Provart, Wayne (Sharon) Provart, Ronald (Sandy) Provart, Beverly (Terry) Boschert, and Roger Provart, and sisters- and brothers-in-law Salvador (Marion) Ortiz, Alma Long, Mary San Juan, Marie Woodside, and Harold Rice, along with nieces and nephews, and grandnieces and nephews and lifelong friends too numerous to mention, but who were also deeply loved.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday Dec. 7 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola. The service will begin at 5:00pm with a reception to follow. We ask that flowers not sent but donations may be made in Bonnie's name to the Myeloproliferative Disorders Foundation, www.mpdfoundation.org.