Bonnie Carol (Brackenbury) Sweet

  �  Bonnie Carol Sweet, 92, of Fairfield, Idaho, passed away on January 29, 2024, after a long battle with Congestive Heart Failure.

  �  Bonnie was born on August 6, 1931, to Theodore Henry and Olive Viola Brackenbury in Jerome, Idaho.  She grew up in Canyon-side, where her father was the school principal and her mother was a teacher.  Bonnie spent many happy days with her two brothers – Larry and Phil, hunting, fishing and climbing the walls of the Snake River Canyon.

 �   From an early age, Bonnie was active in sports, especially softball, and by the time she graduated from high school, she excelled as a pitcher.  Her team traveled throughout Idaho and Utah, winning the State Championship in 1949.

 �   After high school, Bonnie continued to play softball in Salt Lake City for a semi-professional league.  At the same time, she attended and graduated from Stevens-Henager College of Business.

     When Bonnie returned to Jerome, she worked at First Security Bank.  During this period, she met the love of her life – Bill Sweet, while bowling with friends at the local bowling alley.  It wasn’t long before they discovered their shared passion for sports, and marriage soon followed on February 10, 1951.

  �  Bill and Bonnie moved to the Camas Prairie to start farming with Bill’s uncle – Robert Edman.  Bonnie, who wasn’t exactly familiar with farm/ranch life or being a housewife, conquered both.  She taught herself how to cook, sew, and knit.  Soon, she could whip up dinner for a crew of hired men and plow a field, all on the same day.  In later years, her sourdough and Swedish pancakes became a requested staple of the Senior Center’s Saturday breakfast menu.  It was during these months that Bill was called to active military duty as a 1st Lieutenant in the Korean War, and Bonnie moved to Jerome to live with her parents and care for her younger sister – Lana, while her mother taught school.  It was also during this period that she gave birth to her daughter – Sunnie, on April 6, 1952.

 �   In April 1953, Bill returned, and life on the Prairie resumed.  Two more babies were born – Shane on April 7, 1954 and Layne on June 15, 1955.  For eighteen months, the boys were the best of friends, bringing delight to the rest of the family, but in the fall of 1956, Leukemia struck, taking Layne to live with God and leaving us to live in sorrow.

  �  In 1959, Bonnie’s life took another turn, but this time a joyous one, when her daughter Laren was born on April 15, 1959.  More happiness appeared in 1963 when the family adopted Brian.  Her life was again filled from morning to night, keeping up with this growing crew.

     If that wasn’t enough, for 24 years, Bonnie worked for the Camas Hay Association, operating the scales across from her home.  Throughout the summer and fall, she weighed and kept records of the large truckloads of hay transported out of the Camas Prairie daily.

     In later years, which some may refer to as retirement, Bonnie worked at the Specialty Shop in Fairfield.  She loved waiting on and meeting new people.  During these years, she also took up painting, creating some beautiful landscape/structure paintings around the Prairie.  Many of these pictures grace the homes of both children and grandchildren today.

 �   Bonnie and Bill were well known throughout the Prairie, and they were honored to be chosen as the Grand Marshals for the Camas County Fair in 2009.  They never lost their passion for sports, and they were avid Musher fans to the end.

  �  Bonnie loved her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews unconditionally and unselfishly, encouraging and cheering for each of them in whatever sport or activity they chose to participate in.  She was always their biggest fan!

     In her sister’s words, “Bonnie was a fiery, determined, athletic force of nature.”  She has left us a beautiful legacy of love for home and family.  She is truly missed.  We love you, Mom!

     Bonnie is lovingly survived by her daughter – Sunnie (Edward) Smith; her son – Shane Sweet; her son – Brian (Rosa) Sweet; and her daughter – Laren (Randy) Erkins.  She will forever be remembered by her grandson – Dustin (Alisan) Sweet; grandson – Trapper (Cody) Sweet; grandson – Ryan (Tina) Smith; grandson – Dallas (Candice) Smith; grandson – Nicholas (Amaya Eiguren) Smith; granddaughter – Tasha (Jarrod) Lott; grandson – Jason (Sabrina) Sweet; grandson – Matthew Sweet; granddaughter – Ashely Sweet; grandson – Cade Erkins; grandson – Chase (Erin) Erkins; grandson – Cole (Amanda) Erkins and 24 great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her brother – Larry Brackenbury; her brother – Phil (Margaret) Brackenbury; her sister - Lana (Tim) Parker; sister-in-law – Barbara Fitch; and twelve nieces and nephews and their families.

     She was preceded in death by her husband – William Edman Sweet; her son – Layne T. Sweet; her father – Theodore Henry Brackenbury; her mother – Olive Viola Brackenbury; nephew – Lance Brackenbury; sister-n-law Wynona Brackenbury; and brother-in-law – Jay Fitch.

   �   We want to take this time to thank the many kind and caring professionals at Bennett Hills who assisted our mother with such loving care.  We would also like to thank the many friends and relatives who visited or wrote letters to her while she resided at Bennett Hills.  We send a special thank you to Marsha Kramer, who devotedly visited with Mom daily, watching every Camas Musher game with her to the end.

    A celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Manard Cemetery in Fairfiled, Idaho. This event is held to honor our beloved mother.

  Funeral and cremation arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service – Gooding Chapel

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