Bonnie Despain

Our sweetest lady, Bonnie Bea Clark Despain passed away on February 14, 2026 peacefully with her family by her side, preventing further suffering with ALS. Although technically a mother of just three children, she extended her kindness and care far beyond her own family unit to include the dozens and dozens of people who considered her their “other mother”.

Bonnie was born July 7, 1944 in Cedar City, Utah to her beloved mother Roberta “Bobo” Platt Clark and father Porter A. Clark. She grew up between Newcastle and Cedar–playing on the farm and in the red rocks she loved so much. She was surrounded by cousins and aunts, and loved adventuring with her mom and whoever could tag along to the gorgeous forests, National parks and canyons of Southern Utah. She graduated from Cedar High in 1962 and later earned her degree in elementary education, graduating in 1966 from College of Southern Utah (now Southern Utah University). She gave the departing speech as Valedictorian telling her fellow students to overcome complacency and face the challenges to come. She was awarded the prestigious Mildred Sargent Womanhood Award by that institution.

She married James (aka Jim, aka Arlo) Despain on some day in August, 1969 that they comically couldn’t agree on who remembered correctly. Over their 56 years, they built a life full of road trips and pretty scenery, a family of loving weirdos, an extended network of loved neighbors and friends, and lots of laughter and tales of odd creatures and obscure locations – such as the Easter Lizard, the walking rock and the turtle ranch.

Family trips almost always involved having her kids bring friends along to explore Southern Utah or camp in the mountains closer to home. Everyone has very fond memories and stories of these trips. She loved picnics while in the outdoors–everyone looked forward to her cooler full of lunch food, sandwich fixings, potato salad and “Bonnie Baked Beans”. Especially in her later years, she loved to take pictures–stopping frequently on road trips or anywhere she and Jim were driving–of landscapes, sagebrush, leaves and unique rock formations to share online or in delightful texts that many of us enjoyed seeing and receiving. Bonnie would not let anyone ignore the magic in life, and was always in awe of a pretty view no matter how many times she’d seen it.

She was the humblest of giants, making her mark on the hundreds of 5th graders she taught at Ridgecrest Elementary over the many years of her career teaching, as well as the thousands more she helped on the back end through political campaigns and educational activism.

Her humor and wit were both sharp as a tack, and she always led by example, showing that compassion, empathy and being generous with your heart was the most important way to show up in the world. Being in community was so important to Bonnie, and the ones created around, with and because of who she was were and are invaluable. From the Butler 8th Ward and the old neighborhood, and cousins as well as friends to the Cowbird writing group and her children’s friends and interests, she was always on the move–rolling up her sleeves to help, collecting geology photos to teach, or reflecting on her life to impart wisdom.

For decades she hosted Sunday dinner at her home for the whole family, including grandkids, any friends who cared to show up, and eventually her mom plus Jim’s parents, where everyone feasted on chicken balls, cookie soup, stroganoff or enchiladas. Their house was always open, and a seat at her table was always warm for anyone without expectation or judgement.

She always found a way to cheer on anyone she met and recognize their effort, character or achievements. She was in touch with so many new and old friends and family all the time, through text, Facebook or visits. She will be forever sorely missed by everyone that received her warm sweet attention, and is survived by her husband Jim Despain; children Jeremy Despain (Alex Blanchard), Josh Despain (April Despain) and Cara Despain (Kenny Riches); and grandchildren Ashlee, Sara, Addison Despain, Devin Stoddard.

A service celebrating Bonnie will be held February 28th, 2026, 12pm visitation, 1pm program at Cannon Mortuary 2460 E Bengal Blvd, Salt Lake City UT 84121. The service will also be live streamed please check back for the link.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Rocky Mountain ALS Association https://alsrockymountain.org/donate/ or the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. https://secure.suwa.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3860&mfc_pref=T&3860.donation=form1&_ga=2.213048020.1131180701.1771632884-1834688217.1771632884