City mourns former mayor City mourns former mayor (November 10, 2000)

Dena Bonnell remembered for long career of community service

Jaime Bloss

Her name is on bronze plaques in public buildings throughout the city, and her years in the public sector are legendary in Mountain View, with nearly two decades devoted to school board and city council service.

Yet just days before she died Friday, former Mountain View Mayor Dena Bonnell gathered with a few friends for an annual ritual few people knew about.

Bonnell got together with longtime friends Gail Urban Moore and Shirley Pearson the previous Sunday for something Bonnell felt was important -- putting together baskets of Halloween treats for children in the battered women's shelter.

"It was her idea," said Pearson. "She was concerned about these kids who couldn't go trick-or-treating. They might get Christmas gifts, but no one was remembering them at Halloween." So the trio put together the gift baskets over the years, sometimes a few dozen of them, to brighten the kids' day.

"She put a lot of her heart into the community," said Pearson. "She was a good person to know, a good friend."

Moore agreed. "She was a great lady. She had a wonderful sense of humor," she said. "She and I had a lot of great times together. I loved her very much."

Bonnell, a long-time pillar of the community, died at the age of 55 at El Camino Hospital after an extended illness.

Bonnell was born in San Francisco, raised in Los Altos, and lived in Mountain View for 34 years. An active member of the community, she served on the city council for eight years, acting as mayor for one year.

She was a Mountain View School board trustee for 10 years, nine of which she served as school board president. She also served on the Environmental Planning Commission for a number of years, along with numerous other committees and boards. In addition to her public service, Bonnell was a controller for Valley Oil Co. for 25 years.

Kristi Bonnell, Dena's daughter, described her mother as "very outgoing, very giving, and very trusted in the community. She put everybody ahead of herself," she said. "If she couldn't give all of her attention to you, she wouldn't give any, until she had the time to give you her full, undivided attention."

One instance of Bonnell's caring stuck out in her daughter's mind. One of Bonnell's friends had breast cancer, and Bonnell "sent her a card once a week, every week, until she was finished chemotherapy," Kristi said.

Kristi said her mother had guts and a great sense of humor. When Bonnell's term on the city council ended, there was a party for all of the council members. Council members were interviewed beforehand and were asked what they planned to do when the term was over.

Bonnell's response was quite different from that of the other council members, who mostly said that they were going to seek re-election."My mom said, 'I'm going to wash my windows,'" Kristi remembers.

Bonnell was an elected official for the people, not for the title she received, Kristi said. "Some politicians are there for the city, for the word 'government.' Mom was out there because she enjoyed the people and the city." Carol Torgrimson, who was friends with Bonnell for 15 years and served on boards and non-profit organizations with her, said Bonnell was a fighter for what she felt was right.

"What really impressed me about her was that she always really stood up for what she believed in. Her sense of personal integrity was wonderful," Torgrimson said. But Bonnell was not closed-minded when it came to issues. "She had to be convinced, but if the arguments were compelling, she was always open to new information," she said.

Torgrimson said Bonnell will be deeply missed. "She was a good council person, a good mayor and just a good friend. It's hard to absorb that she's really gone," she said. "As the smoke clears, her real impact on the community will be fully felt."

Council member Sally Lieber reflected on her relationship with Bonnell. "When I think of Dena, I think of someone who's incredibly generous. She dedicated her time and efforts to Mountain View. She really loved this city," she said.

Lieber said that when she talked to people about running for council, a few years before she actually ran, everyone brought up Bonnell. Lieber watched Bonnell on the council and found her to be one of the most approachable council members, she said.

Lieber ran for a city council seat in 1998 at the same time Bonnell was vying for a seat. During campaign forums, about six weeks before the election, Bonnell surprised Lieber by saying, "I really agree with what Sally said," according to Lieber. "I couldn't figure out why she was doing that," Lieber remembers. Then, while watching the vote returns at city hall, she discovered why.

"It was pretty obvious that I was winning and she wasn't. Then Dena turned to me and said, 'I had this thing called six weeks ago,'" Lieber recalled. It was then that Lieber realized Bonnell, by making the remark during the forum, had intended to give her a boost in the polls. "She was pushing me ahead even though she wasn't going to make it. . .I'm really thankful for her help."

Bonnell's greatest accomplishments for the city included getting Space Camp established in the city and the Graham Middle School Sports Pavilion built. Bonnell was proud of the pavilion because it "brought city and school together," Kristi said.

Bonnell was a respected role model for the community. "She taught me so much. She was my hero," Kristi said. "And she was a hero to others as well."

Bonnell is survived by her former husband, Jerry; her daughter Kristi; a granddaughter, Madison Ashley Karen Bonnell; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by a son, Scott.

A memorial service will be held Friday, 10 a.m., at the Graham Middle School Sports Pavilion, 1175 Castro St.

Donations may be made to the "Dena K. Bonnell Space Camp Scholarship Fund." Checks should be made payable to 'City of Mountain View' and mailed to : Dena K. Bonnell Space Camp Scholarship Fund, c/o City Manager's Office, City of Mountain View, 500 Castro St., Mountain View, 94401.