Joan A. Chieff Bonner, 92 of Marlboro died Monday, November 4^th, peacefully at her home in Marlboro.

Joan was born and raised in Newark, Irvington and South Orange, New Jersey. She and her husband Richard (“Dick’), with their growing family, settled in Scotch Plains then Fanwood, where all their children were raised, eventually moving to Marlboro in 2001. She was a graduate of Saint Vincent’s Academy in Newark, where she attended on a full academic scholarship. Originally, she was one of the first females admitted to Seton Hall University, but left school to be with her husband after he entered the US Air Force; living in Maine and Texas during their early marriage, and eventually earned her college degree from Kean College (n/k/a Kean University) while raising her 6 children, where she was repeatedly on the Dean’s List. They began their family in Texas, with their first child being born in Austin. They were Blessed with six children and raised them in New Jersey. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, and spent 20+ years teaching at St. Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School and Cook Elementary and Jefferson Middle School, where she spearheaded the Gifted and Talented Program at both schools in Plainfield.

She was very active as a volunteer throughout her life, serving on the Board of the Fanwood Historical Society, participating in Fanwood’s recycling program in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, taping “Books for The Blind” for many years and also serving as a Lector at St. Bartholemew the Apostle School in Scotch Plains and St. Gabriel’s in Marlboro. In addition, she volunteered for Contact We Care (n/k/a Caring Contact) with over 1000 hours of time as a “listener”, earning a place on its “Wall of Honor”, and also in the Nuclear Imaging Department of Centrastate Medical Center, in Freehold. As one of her favorite charitable activities, Joan volunteered for 20+ years for the St. Vincent DePaul Society, performing personal and spiritual acts of charity for those in need. She was also a Cub Scout Den Mother for her boys and Brownie Leader for her girls.

She was an amazing Mother and Wife of incredible intellect (a member of Mensa) who guided the growth and development of her 6 children through loving, patient and steadfast actions, preferring to “lead” by example, shaping her 6 successful children, 16 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. There were no questions she could not answer, whether it was for schoolwork, negotiating childhood relationships or “Mom, where is my school shirt/blouse”.

Joan was a person with a generous and loving heart and, being a teacher, who never abandoned her desire to learn and teach; she tutored children and grandchildren whenever needed and reveled in discussing what everyone was learning in school, at any level from kindergarten through advanced degrees. Joan and Dick, together with their children, enjoyed family vacations together each summer. They would later travel throughout Europe, including an archaeological dig in France, and visited every state in the U.S. She loved all kinds of food, especially when prepared by her kids. She especially enjoyed new dishes and was never afraid to experiment coming to a late-in-life love for tacos, but her favorite was snacking on potato chips. She was a fan of the show Jeopardy and murder-mysteries, but it was always tough to pull her away from reading, crossword puzzles and Scrabble. She was a voracious reader and shared books of all kinds with friends and family.

Her greatest passion was reserved for her husband and family. Joan never missed a graduation, wedding or other ceremony involving her children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren, traveling all over the U.S. for their events. She enjoyed bringing everyone together for holidays and birthdays, including the annual Christmas gathering, in her home, with dozens of family members attending, singing Christmas carols, continuing the family traditions of enjoying Slovak rituals and food.

Joan was pre-deceased by her husband Dick in 2022 (after 68 years of marriage), her parents Paul Chieff and Maria (Nodzak) Chieff, her grandson, Christopher Luis Bonner in 2005 and her four siblings Helen, Elsie, Paul and Rudolph.

Surviving Joan, are her children, Richard W. Bonner, Jr and his wife Allison, Lincroft, Michael P. Bonner and his wife Irene, Shallotte, NC, Kathryn Welch, Harpswell, ME, James T. Bonner, Milford, DE, Teresa Bonner, Marlboro and J. Christopher Bonner and his wife Maria, Clark; 15 grandchildren: Richard, III and his wife Jeanine, Dana, Robert, Drew and his wife Amanda, Matt, Remy, Mariah, Gerald & his spouse John, Lorena, Joe, Phil, Joseph, Patrick, Cristina and Tommy; 4 great grandchildren, Theta, Jack, Lucy and Eliza.

Visitation, Sunday, November 9^th, 1:00-5:00 p.m. at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 S. Holmdel Road, Holmdel. Mass of Christian Burial, Monday, November 10^th, 10:00 a.m. St. Gabriel’s RC Church, 100 N. Main Street, Marlboro. Interment at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery, Route 520 Marlboro.

To share a favorite memory or send messages of condolence, please visit Joan’s page of tributes at www.holmdelfuneralhome.com. Donations can be made in her honor to: St. Vincent DePaul Society or St. Gabriel’s RC Church in Marlboro, NJ.