Obit of Synar, Bonnie Iris Phillips - Delaware County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 03 Sep 2006 Return to Delaware County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/delaware/delaware.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== ::Hickory Grove Cemetery--Copeland OK The Grove Sun Daily Bonnie Iris Phillips Synar 1920-2005 GROVE, Okla. - Bonnie Iris Phillips Synar of Grove died at her home at 6:30 a.m., Saturday October 1, 2005 after a long illness. She was 85, Mrs. Synar was born on February 22, 1920, to Everett I. and Hattie Ellen (Bayliss) Phillips on a ranch in Cheyenne Valley in Major County, Oklahoma. She graduated from Cheyenne Valley High School in 1938 with a class of eleven. After her freshman year at Northwestern State College, she transferred to Oklahoma A & M College. She received her Bachelor and Master degrees from Oklahoma State University in Home Economics Education. She taughter in the Home Economics Department of Northeastern A & M College from 1960 to 1981. She served as chairman of the department for sixteen years. Bonnie was honored as Teacher of the Year by the college faculty in 1970-71. Bonnie established the first post-secondary two-year occupational home economics program in the state at Northeastern Oklahoma A & M. Through her leadership, occupational curricula were developed for the fashion trades, childcare, and food services areas. She served two years as vice- president and two years as president of the Oklahoma State Home Economics Association. Bonnie represented the state association at the International Federation of Home Economics in Ottawa, Canada. Activities in the American Home Economics Association have included two years as Junior College Advisor and serving on the program planning committee for the 1972 National Workshop of State Presidents in Washington, D.C. She presided at a session on legislation. Mrs. Synar has attended as an official, national A.H.E.A. Convention in Dallas, Cleveland, Denver, Boston, Detroit, and Minneapolis, and two president’s unit workshops in Washing, D.C while serving on the O.H.E.A. Executive Board. Bonnie is known as a champion in promoting her students and home economics through formal and non-formal education related to personal, family, and community living. Bonnie was inducted into the first Oklahoma State University College of Home Economics Hall of Fame in 1991. The hall of fame is the highest honor that the Home Economics Alumni Association can award an alumnus. She was honored by the Future Farmers of American in appreciation for distinguished service to vocational Agriculture in 1981. She started her teaching career in home economics at Watonga in 1942. Bonnie was instrumental in establishing the first vocational home economics program at Fairview in Major County in1944. Other honors that merit mentioning are: Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities as O.S.U. in 1942; National 4-H winner in leadership in 1938, for which she received the Moses Trophy and a $300 dollar scholarship; and selected in the 1971 Outstanding Educators of America. She was elected as Oklahoma 4-H secretary in 1938-39 at which time she met her future husband, who served as state president. As a student at O.S.U., she was a member of Chi Omega Sorority and served as house manager. She was president of Pi Epsilon Alpha, and interdenominational sorority. She served on the Associated Women Student Legislative Board, YWCA council, Collegiate 4-H Club, and other student organizations. Bonnie was always active in her community in Miami, serving as president of the Rockdale PTA, Rotary Anns, Letters and Arts Club, Newcomers Club, College Faculty Dames, and with her husband, started the first square dance club in Miami. She is a member of All Saints Episcopal Church and active in Miami Community Concert Association. After retiring in 1981, she lives with her husband of sixty-three years, Harry, at their home on Grand Lake called "Sy-Co Paradise." She was still active in several "enjoy" kinds of organizations, particular Letters and Arts and the Delaware and Ottawa County Retired Educators. She enjoyed serving as song leader of her local group. Bonnie married Harry Synar on February 21, 1942, at her parents’ ranch near Fairview. After a ten-day honeymoon, they were separated for two and one-half years due to Harry’s naval service in the Mediterranean. Their children include Bonita Carson, M.D. and her husband Dr. Stanley Carson M.D. Denver, Colorado; Phil Synar, M.D. and his wife Rebecca Synar, Grove, Oklahoma; and Susan Griffith, M.B.A. and her husband Jim Griffith Stillwater, OK; six grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, and a grand niece. Funeral Service will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday October 5, 2005 at the All Saints Episcopal Church with Rev. K. Andrea Jones officiating. Burial will be in the Hickory Grove Cemetery, Northeast of Grove, Oklahoma under the direction of the Cooper-Althouse Funeral Home of Miami. Pallbearers will be Bryan Carson, Bill Able, Stanley T, Synar, Jr., David Synar, Larry Synar, and Don Hodges. Honorary Pallbearers will be Dr. Bob Swanson, Oran Need, Edmond Synar, Val W. Synar, and Stanley Carson The family will receive friends at the Cooper-Althouse Funeral Home Chapel Tuesday October 4, 2005 from 7 until 8 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Delaware County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/delaware/delaware.html