Millie Bonati

Millie Wennrich was born in New London, Connecticut, second of four daughters. She graduated from Norwich Free Academy and UConn where she met Dick Bonati, her husband of 62 years. Together, they raised two daughters and a son at their home in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Millie began her career in New York City when the glass ceiling for women sat on the floor. Undeterred, she rose in the ranks to become a Manhattan Marketing Executive and Market Research Analyst. She later abandoned this career to raise a family. She did, however, keep a lifetime love affair with New York City, hopping the commuter train whenever the urge struck. Becoming a primary school teacher kept her active in the workforce.

Millie grew up on the Atlantic Ocean, spending carefree summers on its shores, often daydreaming while looking at the harbor from her grammar-school desk. As a parent, she taught her children the joy of swimming and sailing on the waters of Long Island Sound. Later in life, she and Dick spent a month each year on the shores of Key Colony Beach in Florida. Family visits followed.

In 1979, Millie and Dick moved from Connecticut to the village of Hollis, New Hampshire where they built their saltbox retirement home on a scenic rural hillside. Once settled in, they collected antiques, exploring the villages and townships of northern New England.

Not to sit idle, Millie shed the comforts of retirement by bonding with the feminists. She volunteered at the Rape and Assault Support Services of Nashua, New Hampshire where, as a twelve-year staff member, she counseled hundreds of abused children. At the time, when Child Sexual Abuse was largely ignored, she confronted “The System”, testified for legislative changes, educated the public, and was endorsed by the State Attorney General.

Determined to get the message out, Millie founded the “Writer’s Block,” a group of aspiring writers who regularly met in the Hollis library to ply their craft. With their support and that of her son, she published a book, “Combatting Child Sexual Abuse – An Advocate’s Story from inside a Rape Crisis Center.”

During the month of July, you could find Millie at the Marie Joseph Spiritual Center in Biddeford Pool, Maine where she communed with nature’s the windswept seashore to write and seek her soul’s rejuvenation.

Millie traveled extensively, both solo and with others. Other interests included – reading, dream interpretation, movies, the arts, season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera and the Boston Symphony. Developing valued friendships was a high priority.

After her husband passed, Millie moved to Covenant Village in Westminster, Colorado to be closer to her children. Frequent excursions to the Rocky Mountains nourished her soul. New friendships and a caring community made this move to Colorado a wise choice.

A recap of Millie’s life would not be complete without mentioning two loves of life; Elvis Presley and Tom Brady. Millie adored Elvis, forever touting the virtues of his soulful vocal range. On Sunday mornings you could find Millie filling her weekly pillbox to the sounds of Elvis rocking on the stereo.

After moving to Colorado, Millie learned that the New England Patriot games were not commonly broadcast in the Denver market. She solved this problem by slipping on her Tom Brady jersey, grabbing her walker, hopping into a cab, and driving to the local Sports Bar.

Millie’s ability to live to the age of ninety-six was fueled in part by her innate curiosity and passion for life. Her willingness and ability to adapt was personified in her later life when she transitioned from a cane to a walker to a wheelchair. Her ability to develop lasting and meaningful friendships nurtured her soul.

Millie is survived by her three children; Pam Cline of Arvada, Colorado, Trish Bonati of Arvada, Colorado and Richard Bonati of Westminster, Colorado along with numerous family members.