Marcia Lee Bonalewicz

Marcia Lee Bonalewicz (Will) aka Mrs. B of North East, PA and La Plata, MD passed away peacefully on Saturday February 25th surrounded by her three daughters, at Charles Regional Hospital at the age of 85. She may have slowed down physically over the last few years but in typical Marcia fashion she didn’t do anything halfway and in a matter of 12 hours, of which she was feisty to the end, she took her last breath on her own terms.

Marcia’s story began on June 4, 1937 in Modesto, California when Crystal (Spratt) Will and Roy Donald Will welcomed their first daughter into the world. It’s been rumored that she was precocious from the start and that trait is definitely something that she has passed on to her granddaughter. A few years later she became a big sister, welcoming Karen Joleen (Will) Spooner to the family. The tight knit family moved to San Luis Obispo, CA where Marcia developed her love of music. She was a natural with a remarkable voice that provided her the opportunity to sing at the grand opening of Walt Disney Land in California. Marcia was ahead of her time in many ways and proudly acknowledged she was among the first female graduates of Cal Poly Technical Institute, SLO. She found her way to teaching and enjoyed shaping young minds, officially for 10 years, although she never really stopped teaching those she loved. She met her husband Richard Mathew Bonalewicz through teaching and it turned out marrying into a Polish family would be a lifelong learning experience with rarely a dull moment.

Her love of learning had her traveling the world before she was 30 and she even took students on European adventures, twice. Is it any wonder she got involved with AFS and became a host mom to over 20 kids from three continents, all of whom she loved as if they were her own. Marcia believed in “Girl Power” which was evident through her years of being a Girl Scout leader and demonstrated her strong drive for service as an active member of Park United Methodist Church where she lived by example. To know her was to love her. She welcomed people into her home and her heart, and they became family. Who knew an 85-year-old could master Facebook, but she did and loved cheering everyone on in life.  

Marcia is survived by her daughters, Joanna Bonalewicz, Kristal Bonalewicz and Carrie Bonalewicz Bradley and her son- in-law Kevin Bradley and granddaughter Beatriz Annali Bradley; also, 9 nieces and nephews; AFS sons and daughters and their children; cousins; and countless cherished friends.

Services will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a to-be-determined date. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the ANNA Shelter, 1555 East 10th Street, Erie, PA 16511 or www.theannashelter.com, in Marcia’s name.

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