Bonnie Newberry

BONNIE MCMILLAN NEWBERRY, age 73, of Erin, TN and Tucson, AZ, passed away on Saturday, April 3rd, at home surrounded by family and her beloved dogs.

Bonnie was born on March 20, 1948, to the late Donald and Shirley McMillian in the Panama Canal Zone where her father was serving as an officer in the US Airforce. As a child, Bonnie experienced the world with her tight-knit Air Force family living in New York, Japan, California, Florida, New Mexico, and Alaska. Following her father’s retirement from the Air Force they settled in Erin where Bonnie graduated from Houston County High School.

Following graduation from Austin Peay State University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in Education and a minor in geology, she was an elementary school teacher in Erin for several years. She never gave up her love of books, reading, and learning.

Due to severe asthma, Bonnie and her family moved to Tucson, AZ in the late 1970s.

Incredibly artistic, Bonnie had an innate gift for making everything around her beautiful. She loved sharing her talents with her family, friends, and community. She was known to work through the night on her artistic endeavors, always creating something magical…be it a painting, a flower arrangement, or setting the stage for a party. For her home in Tucson, Bonnie created a stunning zero-scaped landscape consisting of a rock garden and iron sculpture she designed and made herself.

Bonnie was dedicated to her family and devoted many years to helping care for her parents in the later years of their lives.

Bonnie truly loved animals and immensely enjoyed her pets over the years. Her small animals traveled everywhere with her and she cherished the time in her youth that she spent working with and training horses.

Bonnie is survived by her family, Carolyn Mitchell of Erin, TN and Tucson, AZ; her son, Nathan McMillan (Valerie) Newberry of Clarksville, TN; her grandchildren, Aidan and Dane Newberry of Clarksville, TN; her older sister, Judy (Dr. Thomas) Dake of Columbia, TN; and her younger sister, Geni (Randall) McMasters of Orlando, FL.

A memorial service for Bonnie will be held 2:00 p.m. Thursday, April 8, 2021 at the Chapel of Nave Funeral Home with Bro. L.C. Hollingsworth officiating. Burial will follow in McMillan Cemetery.
Family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until the hour of service Thursday afternoon.

Arrangements are in the care of Nave Funeral Home, (931) 289-4277, NaveFuneralHomes.com.