Obituary of Bonna L. Westerlund

Bonna Lee Westerlund, 70, of 44 Woodworth Avenue, passed Monday March 23, 2020 just after 3 PM, in UPMC Hamot, Erie, PA from a stroke she suffered on Thursday, March 19th. After fighting with all her strength, she took her last breath blanketed in love by her husband and daughter. She was the fourth child born December 10, 1949, in Jamestown, a daughter of the late Walter Heilman, Sr. and Pollyanna Wright Heilman Morrison. She always spoke fondly of growing up in the country where she would drive the family tractor to the local swimming hole, participated in 4H and rode her horse Amy through the back fields. While attending school, she took up the violin and through practice and talent, landed herself as first chair in the senior orchestra before even entering high school. Her senior year was filled with great accomplishments. She was awarded Miss Ellington and won champion in Hunt Seat with Amy at the Great New York State Fair. She also met Bobby Kennedy on his visit to Chautauqua County where he asked to ride Amy and took off galloping away from his secret service agents. Bonna graduated from Falconer High School in 1968 and furthered her education at Jamestown Community College where she graduated with her associates in Business Administration. After years of hard work and dedication to her field, she lastly worked at Loranger International Corp in Warren, PA as the executive assistant to the president. In December of 1989, she suffered a back injury that sadly removed her from the workforce but she happily spent her days raising her daughter and being a supportive house wife to her husband. She took great joy in being a JHS Marching Band mom and seamstress for her daughters theatre productions. She proudly supported her husband as a military spouse throughout his career including his deployment for Operation Iraqi Freedom during 2004/2005. Even with this injury, that never stopped Bonna from pursuing a higher education. She took classes at St. Bonaventure hoping to someday return to work. When that proved to be too difficult on her health, she continued to enjoy her love of animals where she raised Labrador puppies with her family. A wonderful hobby handed down from her mother was the love of crocheting. Bonna enjoyed bringing a smile to her loved ones faces by gifting handmade afghans and boy was she overjoyed when this love passed down to her daughter as well. She was a collector of cobalt blue glass and dishes. Her husband happily supported her collection by making her cabinets for her beautiful displays. Later in life her daughter helped her to rediscover her love of horses. She happily donated her time volunteering at a few local barns including helping out at Homestead Stables in Gerry where her horse was boarded. These wonderful opportunities filled her last years with so much joy and lifelong friendships. Being a homebody due to health restraints for most of her adult life was always so challenging for her however, her family wants her friends to know how much she loved them and spoke of them all often. Bonna would brighten a room when she would enter it and knowing she touched so many people brings her husband and daughter great comfort. Surviving are her husband Stewart Westerlund, whom she married October 8, 1994, a daughter Samantha (Frank) Alemar of Oneida, NY and two step grand-daughters Skyler and Melina Alemar of Meriden, CT. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by two brothers Eugene Heilman and Walter Heilman, Jr. and a sister Gloria Radspinner. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be lovingly made to Chautauqua County Humane Society, 2825 Strunk Road, Jamestown, NY 14701. You may leave words of condolence atwww.lindfuneralhome.com.