Bonnie Brooks Fielding

It is with profound sadness that we announce Bonnie Brooks Fielding, 77, passed away with her daughter by her side on December 11th, 2024.   Bonnie leaves behind her loving and devoted daughter, Jodie Fielding, and the light of her life, her grandson, Holden Fielding; her brothers Edward “Buddy” Brooks (Shirley) of Pawlet and David Brooks (Teresa) of East Dorset; her nieces and nephews Jason, Adam, Amy, Joshua, Ryder & Nikki and additional great-nieces and great-nephews who she adored.

She was predeceased by her parents David and Margaret Brooks, her brother William Brooks and her nephew and niece Jeffery Brooks and Summer Brooks.

Bonnie grew up in the center of Manchester, Vermont with three brothers, a joyfully loving mother who could light up any room, and an intelligent, devoted father who was both musically talented and a respected local mechanic.  Growing up playing outside with her brothers, many local friends and neighboring cousins, she was a tomboy at heart and inherited her father’s mechanical intuition.  She could fix anything.  She raced just like the boys and beat them. She learned to drive a car before it was legal and as her dad said, “if you drive faster, it is easier to steer.” (This was before power steering).  She had the Brooks “lead foot.”  Childhood was spent outside as much as possible riding motorcycles, go-carts and playing in the neighboring woods.  Christmas Eve meant ski passes to Bromley where they’d then spend Christmas Day.  Summers meant a family vacation to Lake St Catherine to swim and waterski.

Bonnie attended Burr & Burton Seminary, class of ‘65. She was a multi-sport athlete playing basketball, field hockey, and softball.  She even found time to compete on the golf and ski teams.  In 2002, she was inducted into the BBS Athletic Hall of Fame.  Following high school, she attended Boston University and spent a few college summers as a camp counselor in Maine.  Here she utilized both her teaching skills and inherent knack in making every activity fun.  Graduating with a degree in Education, she went on to teach physical education at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, MA and then the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, MA before returning to her hometown of Manchester, Vermont.  Back in her hometown she began a family and worked with her mother in their local gift shop, Pewter and Things.  She later spent over 30 years working as an administrative assistant and providing her office management skills.

For the last 25 years, she resided at Lake St Catherine in Poultney, Vermont.  Here she continued not only riding her tractor around the yard working on various projects or riding her motorcycle on the back roads of Vermont, but she also bought a wave runner in her 70s.  You would see her buzzing around the lake with her baseball hat and sunglasses on and her blonde hair flying in the breeze.

Bonnie may have gotten her mechanical mind from her father, but her mother passed on her hospitable nature that made her home everyone’s second home.  A place where many family gatherings were held, and the door & lake were always open for anyone to stop by for a visit, swim or camp in the backyard.  Bonnie was fortunate to have dear friends that lasted her entire life; from young childhood, high school, college, raising kids together and working together.  All those friendships brought joy to her life, and she knows she meant the world to them as well.

Her inventive playfulness made her an amazing Mom, GaGa (Grandma), Sister, Cousin and a favorite Aunt Bonnie to many. Every niece and nephew were happy to go play with Aunt Bonnie. Many of whom later lived with her at some point during their young adult lives.  She shared a special relationship with her daughter who was also her best friend and partner in raising her one and only grandson.  They were a team throughout many of life’s challenges and companions for many travels and adventures.  It was a reciprocal relationship of unwavering support, loyalty, and laughter.  They played twilight golf league together, took numerous trips from Maine to Florida to Hawaii and many locations in between.

Five years ago, her daughter Jodie moved in and a couple months later gave Bonnie her greatest love, her grandson, Holden.  Becoming his GaGa was her new identity and one she did not take lightly.  These two could be found building just about anything, riding (& racing) their tractors (one big and one small) around the yard, riding the minibike and tinkering in the garage.  There is not a project these two could not accomplish together.

Bonnie was smart, generous, kind, fun and the most supportive, loving mother, grandmother, sister, cousin, aunt, friend & neighbor.  She will be deeply missed by many and always remembered in joy and in love.  A celebration of life will be held at a later date.