Tribute

Bonnie Ann Bukwa died January 6, 2026 in Cranbrook. Bonnie had 80 good years and another 3 struggling with dementia and health problems. Despite this she always remained happy, positive and determined to move forward. Bonnie is best known in the Cranbrook area as the Chemistry professor at the College of the Rockies where she taught from 1983 until her retirement in 2007. That only describes a small part of her. Bonnie was born in Chicago on a street called Normal and that was the only time normal fit her. She was a top student and went on to study forestry at Michigan Tech at a time when that was a field almost closed to women. She got her undergraduate degree there but decided it wasn’t challenging enough so moved to Missoula, Montana to study Chemistry at the University of Montana where she got her Doctorate and fell in love with mountains and mountain life. Graduating, she faced a non existent job market for a woman with a chemistry degree so moved to Canada to teach at Notre Dame University. When it closed, she went to, as she said, ‘live wild in the woods’. She joined the back to the land groups, built log houses, gardened, hunted fished and rode horses. She found a job as an assayer at a mine in Logan Lake. Enraged by the treatment of her as a female there, she started what became a ground breaking suit for women’s rights. Following this she moved to Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, still living in the woods and building log houses. The only work available was with highways so that was what she did. Bonnie always punched above her weight in effort and the jobs she would take on. While there she met Don Flowers, they married and moved to Mayook. Together, they developed a farm there, built buildings and added another farm at Skookumchuk all while she worked at the college. In addition, Bonnie was heavily involved in the Mayook community as a volunteer frequently taking the role of chair woman at the community hall. She was also involved with the Backcounrty Horseman and continued her love of horses. Professionally, she was appointed to the Premier’s Science Advisory Council. In the valley, she was known for her huge garden and her generosity with the produce as well as her impromptu parties and her love of raunchy jokes. Bonnie is survived by a son, Roger Powell, three sisters, Valerie Rich, Karen Perkins and Jill Forsberg, a brother, Scott Forsberg, her ex-husband, Wayne Bukwa, and her husband, Don. There will be no service but a celebration of life to be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers please donate to The Alzheimer Society of BC or the SPCA