Wednesday, September 09, 2026
48.0°F

Nellie Mae Athay Hoisington Bonin

Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 5 years, 6 months AGO
| March 3, 2021 1:00 AM

Nellie May Bonin, 90, passed away on Monday, February 22, 2021, in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Family services will be held later, due to the COVID-19 situation.

Nellie was born January 30, 1931, in Coffee, Missouri, to William Thomas and Virdrr Leigh Athay. She met and married Daniel Hoisington and they raised eight children: Thomas, Daniel, Johnathan, Donald, Randy, Ruth, Linda and Christine. While the family was growing, Nellie and her family lived in several different places: Hardin, Montana, Moyie Springs, Idaho, Tillamook, Oregon, before settling in Rockford, Washington.

Nellie was an amazing mother caring for her large family and still managing to work as a seamstress at Pacific Trail and Kathleen Louise. When the family was mostly grown, Dan and Nellie moved to Newport Washington. Nellie was an avid gardener and delighted everyone with the beautiful flowers and the ever changing landscape in her small yard.

Dan passed away in 1996. Several years, later she met and married Earl Bonin of Sandpoint, Idaho. Nellie and Earl moved to Sandpoint, where they enjoyed traveling and gardening. At Earl’s passing she moved to a retirement home, but felt isolated and decided to move in with her oldest son, Thomas.

Nellie was preceded in death by husbands, Daniel Hoisington and Erling Bonin, and sons, Donald and Johnathan Hoisington.

Nellie was a wonderful person, filling all who knew her with love and happiness. She is survived by three sons, three daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Family and friends are encouraged to sign Nellie’s online guestbook at coffeltfuneral.com.

Final arrangements have been entrusted to Coffelt Funeral Service.