Bonita Joy Merten

Bonita (Bonnie)Joy Merten passed away peacefully in her sleep the morning of November 27, 2023, at the age of 78. Bonnie was an active member of the Eugene community having served on the board of the Pearl Buck Center, Past President of Eugene Executives Association, and member and advisor for SCORE (Business mentorship). She was also an avid supporter and contributor to Camp Harlow, the Eugene Symphony and the Hult Center. Bonnie was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Maurice (Maury) Merten. Bonnie and Maury met while attending the University of Oregon and were married on June 25, 1966. Shortly after her husband’s graduation with a degree in law and passing the Oregon State Bar, the couple moved to Washington DC where Maury worked for the USDOJ and Bonnie worked for Governor Tom McCall’s office. Later, the couple moved to San Francisco, CA where Maury worked for the USDOJ. While living in San Francisco, Bonnie and Maury enjoyed sailing their boat on San Francisco Bay. In 1973 the couple returned to Eugene where they remained thereafter. Bonnie’s career began as a bank teller in 1965, she was promoted to Bank Officer. Then in 1979 she became Project Manager for Commercial Equipment Lease. While working and devoting her energy to civic causes, Bonnie developed a huge number of friends. She loved people and was known to enjoy planning and throwing parties for family and friends. Her parties were usually themed and required a lot of thought and energy to plan and execute. She enjoyed good friends, good wine and good food. She nearly always had a smile on her face whenever she greeted old friends or new acquaintances. Bonnie’s other interests included tap dancing, sailing, flying sail planes, flying motorized aircraft, travel, and most of all, entertaining friends and family. Bonnie was born April 5, 1945, during WWII in Portland, OR, to parents Jack Breazeale and Donna (Hoffman) Breazeale, while father Jack was fighting overseas. As a child, Bonnie lived in Seattle WA while her father attended the University of Washington where he obtained his doctorate in Chemistry. Bonnie then moved with the family to Grand Island, NY while her father was employed in Niagara Falls in the chemical industry. When father Jack was recruited to work in the development of solid propellant rocket fuels in California the family settled in Palo Alto, CA. where Bonnie graduated from Cubberly Senior High School. Bonnie is survived by a Brother, Gerald Breazeale(Marsha) niece Chandra Caffery(Vince), nephew Adam(Andrea) Breazeale, niece Ashley Breazeale, and niece Keshia Norman(Max). Bonnie’s Celebration of Life will be held at Musgrove Family Mortuary Friday, January 26, 2023 at 2:00pm www.musgroves.com. Donations in Bonnie’s honor may be made to the Pearl Buck Center and Camp Harlow.