Obituary
Thomas Ray Bonum
Thomas Ray Bonum, 60, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Wednesday, Sept.
9, 2015, in Monroe, Wisconsin. Tom was born May 30, 1955 in Rose Hill, North Carolina to Thomas
and Lula (Sholar) Bonum.
He graduated from Averill Park High School in NY in 1973, and later attended Hudson Valley Community
College in Troy, NY. Tom had worked in credit and collections since 1984 and has owned and operated
his own agencies since 1995.
Tom was a loving husband to his wife, Laura, whom he married in Lahaina, HI, in 1988. Tom and Laura
had two beautiful daughters together, Alicia and Amanda. Every little girl will tell you that her Dad is the
best Dad in the world, but nobody who knew him would argue that Tom genuinely earned that title.
From grand gestures like traveling across the country to stand in the front row of various concerts with
Alicia, and digging for emeralds in North Carolina with Amanda, to sending the girls flowers and comfort
foods when they had a bad day, Tom was an amazing, adoring, and an above and beyond kind of dad.
Tom was even affectionately known as “Papa Bonum” to many of his daughters’ friends. He was also known by
friends to be an avid storyteller who left his “fans” asking for more.
Tom is survived by his mother, Lula; wife, Laura; daughters, Alicia (fiancé, Ben Levan) and Amanda; and siblings, Glenn Bonum, Audrey (Robert) Engel, Linda (Bob) Allen, Donna Bonum, and Kellie (Steve) Chiarlone; as well as
aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Donna Dovenberg;
brothers-in-law Paul Dovenberg and Pat (Jan) Dovenberg; and sister-in-law, Lisa (Stan) Brickl. He was preceded
in death by his father, Tom; his grandparents; and his father-in-law, Russ Dovenberg.
Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, at Olivet Lutheran Church, La Crosse with a visitation from 1:00 p.m. until the time of services. Burial will follow at Neshonoc Cemetery in West Salem.
Coulee Region Cremation Group of Onalaska is assisting the family with arrangements.
Laura, Alicia, Amanda
Our heartfelt sympathies to you in this sad time of the passing of Tom.
Elaine, Dan,Koehn Beaver Dam, Jessica Koehn, Myrtle Beach, SC