Obit of Campbell, Bonnie Maureen - Mcclain County, Oklahoma Thanks to Bakersfield Californian for permission to upload their obits to the USGenWeb Archives. Copyright, http://www.bakersfield.com/ 04 Jun 2006 Return to Mcclain County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/mcclain/mcclain.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== ::Green Lawn Southwest Memorial Park Cemetery--Bakersfield CA Campbell, Bonnie Maureen Bonnie Maureen Campbell, best known as Bonnie Owens, was born at home on October 1, 1929 in Blanchard, Oklahoma to Wallace and Davis Campbell the fourth of six girls and two boys. She passed away on April 24, 2006 in Bakersfield, California at the age of 76 from Alzheimer's. Bonnie was thought of and loved with high regard professionally and personally. She was a gifted songwriter and singer and a down-to-earth, warmhearted, happy and caring friend to everyone. She was Buck Owens first love and wife and a loving mother to her two sons, Buddy and Michael. She was also married to Merle Haggard and Fred McMillan. She was best known professionally as Merle Haggard's harmony and duet partner. Bonnie sang any time she had the chance, from the time she was a little girl of seven standing on a bale of hay in their barn with a broomstick as a microphone. Her sharecropper parents moved their family to Arizona when she was twelve years old. At sweet sixteen she met a boy named Buck Owens at the local skating rink. Bonnie auditioned to be the girl singer in Buck's band and naturally their love of music became their common thread. They soon fell in love with each other and they married in 1948 in Mesa, Arizona. They became parents to two sons, Buddy and Michael, who Bonnie referred to as her "biggest and best accomplishment." Although Bonnie and Buck divorced they remained good friends throughout their years. Bonnie started her professional career as a singing cocktail waitress at the two best known Bakersfield honky-tonks, the Clover Club and the Blackboard, where she worked tables and joined in on stage to sing with the band. At the time she was also the female vocalist on the "Cousin Herb Trading Post" which aired daily on television in Bakersfield. While Bonnie's manager and close friend Fuzzy Owen was working with her on her blossoming singing career. Fuzzy started promoting a young unknown singer named Merle Haggard. While Bonnie and Merle were working together their friendship grew to love and they married in 1965. Bonnie toured with Merle Haggard and The Strangers for more than thirty years as an integral element of the band doing what she loved the most. Bonnie and Merle divorced during that time but remained good friends through it all. Bonnie loved to sing, and she sang country music with pure joy. Best of all, she shared her own special Bonnie brand of joy on and off the stage with everyone, devoted fans, friends and family alike. When she finally retired from the road she moved back to her beloved Bakersfield close to friends and family. Bonnie received many top industry awards during her singing career. She was the Academy of Country Music's "Top Female Vocalist" in 1965 and she received the Academy's "Best Vocal Group" in 1965 and 1966 and "Top Duo" in 1967 with Merle Haggard. Bonnie also recorded several albums with Capitol Records as a solo artist and received numerous awards for her talent as a songwriter. Bonnie's father and mother, Wallace and Davis Campbell, brothers Charley and Delmer and sisters Lucille and Jean preceded Bonnie in her death. In God's care Bonnie leaves behind to cherish her sweet loving memory sisters Betty, Gail and Loretta; son Buddy and wife Kathy; son Michael and wife Kristin; six grandchildren Paul, Doug, Amy, Corbet, Jen and Brent; Doug's wife Brandy, Amy's husband Shawn and Jen's husband Scott; three great grandchildren Macy, Jake and Hailee; friends Phyllis and Fuzzy Owen; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Her heart sang but it was her spirit and eyes that danced. It was in those soft warm eyes that we saw and felt only light and love. She cared for everyone. Her loving soul is at perfect rest now, renewed and restored. Bonnie is no doubt the lead angel singing harmony for all of heaven. "Mama, God is for you, Jesus is with you, the Holy Spirit is in you, and all of heaven's angels are by your side. And Mama, we love you more!" A public memorial service for Bonnie will be held on April 27th, 11:00 a.m. at Greenlawn Mortuary Southwest at 2739 Panama Lane in Bakersfield at the Chapel. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Bonnie's loving memory to Hoffmann Hospice, 5300 California Avenue Suite 1, Bakersfield, California 93309. Bonnie Maureen Campbell (Owens) Oct. 1, 1929 - Apr. 24, 2006 www.bakersfield.com/obits"> www.bakersfield.com/obits Published in the Bakersfield Californian from 4/25/2006 - 4/26/2006. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to McClain County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/mcclain/mcclain.html