Dec. 20, 1949 - Apr. 13, 2026
Date of Service: Apr. 24, 2026
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It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our dear aunt, Bonnie Mae West. She passed away peacefully on April 13, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family.
Bonnie was born on December 20, 1949, to Mansfield Jay West and Florence Fay Gentry. Bonnie was the youngest of her siblings and remained deeply devoted to her parents and family throughout her life. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings, Louise Ferrin, Paul West, and Faye Rasmussen.
A dedicated educator, Bonnie spent 34 years teaching eighth-grade English at William Thomas Middle School in American Falls. She was deeply loved by her students and highly respected by her colleagues. Former students always commented on what a fun teacher Bonnie was and how she always treated them with kindness and compassion. Upon her retirement in 2005, she returned to her roots in Heyburn to be closer to those she loved most.
Family was everything to Bonnie and she loved spending time with her immediate family as well as her first cousins, Patsy, Claudia and Marlene. Together the “girls “ had many adventures and made lifelong memories together!
While Bonnie was a passionate lover of animals, music, and books, she was perhaps best known as a devoted aunt to her eight nieces and nephews: Kelly ( Barbara) Ferrin, Trent (Bonnie) Ferrin, Gay (Jeff) Miller, Cary (Amy) Ferrin, Suzette (Johnny) Miller, Laura (Mark) Muzatko, Angela (Aaron) Butcher, and Ty (Cameo) West. She also loved being a “great aunt” to their children. She was a constant presence in all their lives, always cheering them on at sporting events and celebrating family holidays. We will fondly remember her as a fierce card player and for her adventurous spirit, often leading the way for a late-night swim in the canal to cool off during the summer.
Bonnie’s legacy lives on in the lives she touched and the love she gave so freely. We were blessed to have her in our lives and she will be forever missed, but never forgotten.
Our family would like to express our sincere gratitude to the many family, friends, and community members who have reached out with kindness and support during this difficult time.
A sincere thank you to Hospice Visions for the dignity and compassionate care they provided to Bonnie in her final days. A special thank you to Addison Ellenberger for her dedication and support to Bonnie in her final hours.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Bonnie’s memory to the Rupert Animal Shelter or Four Paws Bed and Bath.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 24, at Rasmussen-Wilson, located at 1350 E. 16th Street, in Burley, where family and friends will be received from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Burial will follow at Rupert Cemetery.
A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/4bIzy_eReUA.
