Bonnie C. Frazelle

Bonnie Carol Frazelle, of Alexandria, Virginia, passed away on August 15, 2024, surrounded by her family at Inova Fairfax hospital, after having suffered a stroke on July 23. She was 79 years old. Bonnie was a generous and caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, church member, birder, reader, and lover of music. She was born on February 17, 1945, in Rapid City, South Dakota, at the foothills of the Black Hills mountain range. Bonnie was the daughter of Jessie Ray Bradfield and Edna (Schnaible) Bradfield, along with her sisters Betty and Peggy. She grew up in a house surrounded by acres of forest, inspiring her enduring love of nature. Her father owned Ray’s Hi-Fi, a successful store selling electronics and records. After attending Rapid City Central High School, where she took up the violin, Bonnie graduated from Augustana College (now University) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, majoring in biology. Bonnie then obtained a master’s degree in zoology from the University of Illinois, after which she taught biology at the university level for several years and lived for a time in Germany. In 1972, after a historic flood in Rapid City, Bonnie was visiting home and helping clean up damage from the flood. One day, a young airman from the nearby Air Force base stopped by to offer assistance. David Randall Frazelle and Bonnie were married the following year on June 30, and this year they celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary. After her marriage, Bonnie spent several decades raising her two sons and navigating the life of a military family, living in Hampton, Virginia; Wiesbaden, Germany; Alexandria, Virginia; Omaha, Nebraska; Montgomery, Alabama; Mildenhall, England; and Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. In 1998, the family returned to Alexandria, where Bonnie and Dave settled in their home in Hayfield. Bonnie was a gregarious woman who took great joy in personal relationships and wanted the best for those she loved. Deeply devoted to her immediate and extended families, Bonnie was always concerned about their well-being and delighted in kind gestures, such as finding the right gift or preparing a favorite dessert. Also, extremely important to Bonnie were several lifelong friendships and her close relationship with her sisters. A lover of the natural world, Bonnie was an avid birdwatcher, eventually inspiring her husband to take up the hobby and join her on many birding trips around the country. She greatly enjoyed gardening and tending flowers around her home, as well as the family’s cats over the years. Bonnie had an abiding love of music, especially classical music, which she passed on to her sons. She also had an affinity for German language and culture, influenced by her mother’s heritage and her own time living in the country. Bonnie’s Christian faith was central to her life, and she was an active participant in her church community. At Faith Church Kingstowne, Bonnie played in the handbell choir, led a Precepts group for many years, and developed friendships with many church members. She was also a longtime volunteer at the Koinonia Foundation, a local charitable organization that helps needy individuals. Bonnie was a two-time cancer survivor, and although she suffered from decreased mobility in her later years, it did not stop her from continuing to participate in church activities and extensively taking care of her two young grandsons, who gave her great joy. Bonnie also developed loving relationships with her daughters-in-law. In these years, Bonnie continued reading, following British television shows, caring for her flowers, and baking her exceptional pies, cakes, and Christmas cookies. Bonnie is survived by her husband David, her sons Brian and Daniel, her daughters-in-law Sarah Trippensee and Laura Frazelle, her grandsons Everett and Alistair, and her sisters Betty Person and Peggy Stacey. Family will receive friends at 4 p.m., with a funeral service to follow at 5:15 p.m., on Saturday, August 24, at Faith Church Kingstowne, 5725 Castlewellan Drive, Alexandria, VA 22315. Interment will take place on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 11AM at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Koinonia Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia, http://www.koinoniacares.org/.

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Bonnie C. Frazelle

February 17, 1945 - August 15, 2024