Bonnie S. Buccolini, 79, of 84 Bates Road, Bradford, passed away Sunday, January 15, 2023, at the Bradford Manor.

Born in Bradford on September 1, 1943. She was the daughter of Charles and Jane Schuman. On July 2, 1966, she married her high school sweetheart, Patrick Joseph Buccolini at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. 

She was a 1961 graduate of Bradford Area High School and received her BS in Early Childhood Education and in Elementary Education in June 1965 from Lock Haven University. She worked toward her master’s degree attending St. Bonaventure University, Penn State University, and Edinboro University. She taught in the Bradford Schools for 31 years retiring in June of 2000. 

After graduating in 1966, she taught kindergarten at Third Ward School for seven years. She left the district in 1971 to give birth to her son, Daniel. and had her daughter, Rebecca born in 1974. In 1979, she returned to teaching Fifth Grade at West Branch School and when George G. Blaisdell opened in 1980, she was asked to leave West Branch to teach Second Grade at the new school. She taught Second and Third Grade at Blaisdell for 20 years, retiring in 2000. 

During the summer of 2000, she opened her home to teach Creative Writing to children ages 9 to 11. She continued tutoring children, individually, in her home for three more years and taught at Crook Farm Schoolhouse as well. Mrs. B., which she was most often called, loved seeing her students and their parents. She kept up with many of them on Facebook. On National Teacher’s Appreciation Day in 2015, several of them mentioned Mrs. Bucccolini saying, ” I have had many good teachers, but none that changed my life as much as Mrs. Buccolini. I cannot imagine how many children’s lives were forever changed after being in her 3rd. grade class. Mrs. B was an amazing teacher, my absolute favorite. She will never leave my heart. 

Mrs. Buccolini belonged to two teacher organizations Delta Kappa Gamma and PSAR. She taught Religious Education for St. Francis and St. Bernard Roman Catholic Church. She was very active in the Women’s Bradford Women’s Connection for many years serving as treasurer, Bible Study Coordinator and Chair of the group. She also began three Bible study groups. She taught two of them in her home. 

Early in her married life she was a member of Bradford Jaycetts and later she and her husband grew active in the Street Dreams Car Club. Her work with Special Olympics, Futures, and Evergreen Elm were closest to her heart. 

In their years of marriage, Pat and Bonnie spent much time traveling. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by traveling to the Southern Caribbean. They traveled by Via Rail across Canada to Vancouver and then by Amtrac across the United States stopping at many places during their trips. They went on an Alaskan Cruise. They traveled up the Mississippi River on a riverboat from New Orleans. LA to Memphis,Tennessee stopping at several Civil War sights. They visited important places in the lives of Martin Luther King and Elvis Presley. Seeing parts of Europe and meeting family members in Italy turned out to be the very best trip ever. Bonnie Facebooked with two of their cousins in Rome and one cousin in Sarnano which was the Buccolini’s hometown four hours North of Rome. 

Bonnie and Pat were but older children when they met and fell in love. They always felt blessed that love has lasted a lifetime. They shared that love with their children, Daniel, Darlene, and Rebecca. Their granddaughter, Marissa, was the light of their lives. She worked hard giving the best of herself to her children. And so left the world a better place than she found it.

Family will receive friends on Thursday, January 19, 2023, from 3-5 and 7-9 in the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes Inc. 33 South Avenue. Friends are also invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial Friday at 10:00 am in St. Bernard Church with Fr. Jim Gutting, as celebrant. Entombment will follow at the St. Bernard Mausoleum. 

Memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to Futures Rehabilitation, Inc. 1 Future’s Way Bradford, PA 16701, or Evergreen Elm 50 Main Street., Bradford PA 16701.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes Inc.

Online Condolences may be expressed at www.hollenbeckcahill.com