Bonnie Sue Clark, age 89, of Russellville, died on October 30, 2026, at the Russellville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She was born on March 6, 1937, to Leon and Velma Lee Riley in Hector. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Richard Riley; and her former husband and dear friend, Bobby Clark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Survivors include her daughter, Mary Clark; her sister, Wanda Eddleman; brothers Larry, Barney, Chester (Genevieve), David (Paula) and Randy (Kay); sisters-in-law, Millie Riley and Jaynie Clark; special cousin, Ann Beavers; and many beloved and cherished nieces and nephews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She was a 1955 graduate of Hector High School and attended Arkansas Tech and Navarro College in Corisicana, Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bonnie began her accomplished 40-year career in the telecommunications industry in 1956 at Continental Telephone in Russellville. She started in the operator services dept., being promoted to supervisor after three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1978, Bonnie was promoted to Central Office Repair Technician, the first female in Arkansas to hold that position at a ConTel location. She was responsible for the maintenance of a telephone switch at the main Russellville office and 13 remote locations to maintain telephone communications between local and long-distance service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her career continued as ConTel merged with GTE and she completed extensive company-sponsored technical training in digital systems design at locations from North Carolina to California. In 1985, Bonnie was recruited by GTE of Texas to become a Network Management Administration Center (NeMAC) Analyst at its regional office in Fairfield, Texas. Bonnie completed her formal career with GTE-TX before retiring in 1991.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shortly after locating back to Russellville, she contracted with GTE to work on-site at its Greenville, Texas location for six months. She then contracted with ALACOM, Inc. as an electronics engineer, completing her career in 1996.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout her career, Bonnie\u2019s devotion to family never wavered and she served as a primary caretaker for two special family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During her career and afterward, Bonnie was active in several professional organizations, including officer positions in Business and Professional Women (B&PW), League of Women Voters, and membership on the advisory committee for the electronics program at the Area Vocational Career Center at Russellville High School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff of Russellville Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for their loving care of Bonnie for over a decade, and also to the LifeTouch Health Hospice staff for their extraordinary compassionate care during the last week of her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A visitation will be held at Shinn Funeral Service on Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 5 to 6 pm. A memorable service\/celebration of life will be held in March 2027 to honor Bonnie and what would have been her 90th birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n