Remembering One of the Really Good Guys

I really want to take a few minutes to write about Bill Bonneywell today. At the last meeting of the NW Federation of Dahlia Growers executive board, we were asked to consider nominees for the NWF Hall of Fame. Because our club is relatively new to the Federation, we haven't participated in this process before. However, after almost 3 years of affiliation with the NWF, we have had the opportunity to know and appreciate so many wonderful people who have dedicated themselves to mentorship and excellence in dahlia propagation. We have been inspired time and again by the people we have come to know better over the past three years. I think if it were left up to us, we would probably nominate at least a dozen of these fabulous folks to the Hall of Fame. Some of those that we have come to know are already there - people like Les Connell and David/Leone Smith - and now, we are being asked to give our input. I have put this question out to our membership, and we will be nominating Bill Bonneywell.

I first met Bill years ago, when my dad was still living and heading up our local dahlia society. Bill, along with Bernie Wilson and Dick Williams, were three people that we could usually count on to come over the mountains to help us judge our shows. I wasn't in the dahlia society back then - unfortunately, I didn't gain the vision needed to join the club until after my dad passed away in 2006. I regret this. But as a member of Dad's family, I had the opportunity to help out with a show or two, and that was when I met Bill, Bernie and Dick. These men, along with Dad, all members of the Snohomish County Dahlia Society, represented a level of expertise that we needed. It was comforting to know that these were three people we could count on to help us out. I respected them so much, because of this, and because Dad really loved them.

Last winter, we lost Bill. He had been sick for a long time, and finally, he was able to let go of the bonds of pain and illness, and let his spirit soar to that great dahlia garden in the hereafter. His grandson, Richard Johnson, was good enough to call me personally to let me know about Bill's passing, because I think he knew how much I had come to love his grandpa. I was truly honored and deeply saddened. Bill was truly one of the good guys.

As the originator of the Snoho varieties, Bill developed some wonderful varieties of dahlia. Snoho Monika was one of his last seedlings, a gorgeous little deep red stellar - for me, it was love at first sight. Monika was just one of the Bonneywell originations that take up almost a page in the ADS 2011 composite guide. As lovely as so many of his cultivars were and are, there was so much more to Bill than his skill and love of this incredible flower. It was his commitment to us, to his clubs, to his Federation, to dahlia growers all over the state. The last time I saw Bill was at the Snohomish County show in August of 2011. Bill had been receiving treatment for a number of conditions at a rehabilitation/convalescent facility in Snohomish County for several months, and it was questionable as to whether or not he would be able to get to Everett for the show. When I arrived at the Floral Hall in Forest Park, I found Richard, and asked about his grandpa. He told me that Bill was doing well enough that he might be able to come out to the show. About an hour later, I was so thrilled to see him come through the door, being pushed in his wheelchair by his daughter. I said hi to him and he reached out to give me the biggest hug. I hugged him back and told him how happy I was that he was able to make it. As we pulled away from each other, I looked at his face, and his eyes were brimming with tears. He said, "This is the first year since I can remember, that I haven't been able to judge a show....." I told him that didn't matter, that getting well, and being here were the most important things. But he went on to talk about how much this whole process means to him, how important this has been to his life. It was hard for him to talk - he was on oxygen, and he tired easily. But as we finished our conversation, I got another one of those wonderful Bonneywell hugs, and watched him move on through the crowd to greet so many of the people who had woven themselves inextricably into the warp and weft of his life. The dahlia had brought them together, but the commitment, hard work and enthusiasm was what the relationships were strengthened on. I spotted him a few more times that day, but I didn't talk to him again. That was the last time.

When our show rolled around in September of last year, we were still hoping that maybe Bill could come over, even if he couldn't judge, but he was too sick. Richard and Ida, however, made the trip, and took a bunch of awards of their own, and for Bill. We loved having them there.....and we missed Bill - a lot! How do you say goodbye to someone like that? For me, and for many in our club, we say goodbye by honoring him by nominating him to the NW Federation Hall of Fame. And that is what I intend to do. Thank you, Bill - see you on the seedling bench....