Bonnie Jean Shamblin

Bonnie Jean Shamblin, 94, of Monmouth, IL, passed through Heaven's Gate at 10:28 am, Saturday, November 8, 2025 at Allure of Lake Storey with her loving family at her side.

Bonnie Jean (Howell) (Vanskike) Shamblin was born in Olena, IL on January 26,1931, the 5th child of Price Durr and Mildred Ruth (Kissick) Howell. Bonnie or Jean as she was known by her family and most people who knew her prior to 1970, grew up during the depression. She was raised and educated in the small towns and rural areas of Henderson County, until her father moved the family to Monmouth when she was in the 6th grade, where she attended Harding Elementary School, and Monmouth Junior High School.

Bonnie Jean began working at the age of 12 babysitting full-time for a local family overnight. By the end of 8th grade, she was running the family home while both of her parents worked full-time to provide for the family.

Bonnie Jean married Billy Dean Vanskike on May 18, 1947, at the Warren County Courthouse. She became the wife to a very loving, hardworking man, and moved to rural Warren County, where they began their life and family together. While living in rural Warren County, this couple became parents to 3 daughters and 2 sons. They raised their family primarily in the rural area around Little York, where they attended the Little York schools. They hosted Sunday dinners every Sunday entertaining around 30 friends and family.

Bonnie Jean being the resourceful young woman she was taught herself with the help of her husband how to sew, cook, bake, can, grow a garden, and to live the life of a farmhand’s wife. She figures out how to run the household of 7 on $100.00 a month and still she found a way to save money for special occasions, be it going to the yearly fair, or having a little store bought for Christmas. She taught her children from a young age the art of hard work and planning for tomorrow.

The couple moved to Monmouth in 1960 where he went to work for Wells Pet Food, and she began working at Form Fit, Smoller’s, Glastex and eventually at Wells Pet Food, working second shift so at least one parent was always at home with the family. While living in Monmouth the couple welcomed their sixth and final child, daughter #4. During this time the couple bought a small piece of land 4 miles east of Monmouth and began to build a home.

In 1973 Bonnie Jean lost the love of her life and began the journey as a single parent raising their youngest child on her own. Bonnie moved them to Texohma, OK in 1974 for a short period of time, where she owned and operated a small restaurant. She then moved back to Illinois to that small piece of land and to the home she had established there in early 1975, where she began her 20+ year career working in the Warren School District 222, cafeteria. During the first few years after moving back to Illinois Bonnie Jean drove a bus for the Cavanaugh Bus Service running the rural route west of Monmouth, picking up and dropping off the children for the Immaculate Conception School. Some of her favorite memories came from this job and some of the stories she told over and over, like the day one of the back wheels came off of the bus and passed her going down the road, or on another occasion when on a particularly slick winter day she had to swerve and wound up passing right through the pumps of the former Steeps Station (now G.T.’s) and remaining in complete control of the bus. She would tell tales of the kids as well, like little Dawn S. who barely passed the bumper of the bus so she had to wait until she was almost to the house, so she knew it was safe for her to pull away, or the day Ray C. sat down right on the front bumper to tie his shoe laces, she got some of the biggest laughs while driving the bus.

Bonnie sold the land east of Monmouth in 1976 and moved herself and daughter back into Monmouth. She continued both jobs for a time, eventually going full time in the cafeteria at Warren School.

Bonnie Jean married Walter Dee Shamblin on October 1, 1977, at the Warren County Courthouse. The couple resided in Monmouth until 1987, when they relocated to Smyrna, TN. While living in Smyrna, Bonnie Jean became the Sous Chef over Salads and Desserts at the Garden Plaza Hotel, in Murfreesboro, TN. During her time working at the hotel, she had the pleasure of meeting Country Music Legends Jimmy C. Newman, John Anderson, and Carl Perkins, to name a few and Actress Zaza Gabor. She had stories from working there and meeting people as well. My favorite story to share from that time in her life was when her family planned a SURPRISE 60th Birthday Celebration for her, and the children from out of town were staying in the Hotel for 2 days before the celebration and she never found out. She was not very happy with the staff or us for keeping such a secret, but she did love the surprise.

Bonnie Jean and Walt moved back to Monmouth in August of 1993. Bonnie Jean then began to stuff fliers for the Review Atlas and Penny Saver for a time, before returning to her love of cooking. She began working for Liberty Foods at Farmland Foods making desserts and salads as well as many other tasks.

Bonnie Jean’s favorite past time was reading’ she was known to finish a book a day, maybe 2, if it was extra thick. Reading was part of the many accomplishments in her lifetime. She was the only child of her parents to Graduate with a High School by completing her G.E.D. at the age of 52. She taught herself how to drive and obtained her driver’s license on about the fifth attempt after the car failed the first 4 and they let her drive back home knowing she didn’t have a license (times were sure different then). Her desire for learning allowed her to develop a love for cooking, baking, gardening, and sewing, all of which helped her to run a successful household. She taught herself to crochet and quilt as well. Later she took classes to learn how to decorate cakes, which led to a fairly successful side income from making cakes to order for birthdays, special occasions, holidays and several wedding cakes. The list of accomplishments could go on forever.

Bonnie Jean has left a legacy that is hard to match. She raised 6 children. Out of those 6 children came 28 grandchildren; from the 28 grandchildren came 78 great grandchildren, and from the 78 great grandchildren came 46 great-great grandchildren. This makes her the Matriarch to 158 descendants and to 5 generations not just once but 46 times and still counting.

Funeral Services will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, November 14, 2025, at the First Christian Church, Monmouth, IL. Interment will be in Monmouth Cemetery, Monmouth, IL. Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 p.m., Thursday, November 13, 2025, at McGuire & Davies Funeral Home and Crematory, Monmouth, IL. Memorials can be made to Beacon of Hope Hospice and can be sent to the funeral home. McGuire & Davies Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the arrangements. For more information or to leave an online condolence visit, www.mcguireanddaviesfuneralhome.com.