On July 12, 2024, Bonita “Bonnie” Kay Cartwright, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family just one month and one day after her gall bladder/liver cancer diagnosis. Bonita Kay Gruenhagen was born September 10, 1951, in Conrad, MT to her parents, Maxine Depner and Arthur (Bud) Gruenhagen.
On October 1, 1977, she married the love of her life, James “Jim” Lee Cartwright. They were blessed with their four beautiful daughters, Wendy Kay, Carrie Lee, Crystal Gayle, and Jamie Marie. Jim and Bonnie spent a lifetime building memories with their children going camping and fishing, yearly trips through Glacier Park, trips to Kalispell to visit family, and hosting family functions, always excited for a birthday or next get together.
She worked as a CNA at Cascade County Nursing Home, Missouri River Manor, and then worked taking care of the Nuns at the Ursuline Center before she retired. Bonnie recruited her family to serve at the Ursuline Center Mother’s Day Breakfast fundraiser. She had a huge heart and together, Bonnie and Jim, were always helping others as they were always first in line to help out.
She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, four generations, and beamed with pride as she bragged about them. You could always count on Grandma and Papa to be at every game. They attended basketball, football, hockey, volleyball, baseball, and softball games of all their grandkids. Grandma Bonnie was their loudest cheerleader and their biggest fan. She loved the KC Chiefs and rarely missed Monday night football and loved listening to Alan Jackson.
Bonnie had a knack for listening to others and giving loved ones the best advice, as she was never afraid to speak her mind and let you know what she thought. That is what everyone loved about her and especially her spirit and dedication to her family and friends. She was an amazing friend and will forever be missed.
If you were blessed to know Bonnie, you were forever extended family to her as she embraced everyone as family. She loved her mochas and morning breakfast dates with Dad “Jim” and enjoyed sitting on their patio looking at her beautiful flowers and listening and watching “her” birds. Her daughters used to joke that nothing messes with her weekly dinner “Marilyn Night” with her friend, Marilyn.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the O'Connor Funeral Home website.
