Bonnie K. Donnelly

Bonnie Kay Donnelly, a longtime resident of Odessa, NY passed away on September 29th, 2026 at the age of 85 after an extended illness.

Bonnie was born in Elmira, NY to Davis and Ruth Bateman. Bonnie attended school in the Elmira and Corning areas and worked during her young adult life in the retail and hospitality industries. Bonnie met and married her husband Michael Donnelly in Elmira where they resided and raised a family until moving to Montour Falls and then to Odessa in 1972.

Bonnie worked at Westinghouse, Inc. for several years before deciding she was ready to begin a new career. She attended Elmira Business Institute where she graduated with a 4.0 average, then began her career as an administrative assistant at Cornell University. Bonnie worked at Cornell for 25 years until her retirement in 2004.

Bonnie was a member of the Moose Lodge in Montour Falls, NY. During the Persian Gulf War, Bonnie put her excellent organizational skills to work by playing a key role in working with volunteers collecting, packaging and mailing care packages to local troops deployed overseas.

Bonnie was an excellent cook. She enjoyed browsing through cookbooks for new recipe ideas and trading recipes with family and friends. She also enjoyed watching and learning about the many birds that visited her backyard. Bonnie's greatest joy was her family. Many happy years were spent at holiday gatherings, picnics by the lake, birthday parties, and weekend camp outs with her grandchildren snuggled in their sleeping bags across her living room floor.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Beverly Kelly and Barbara Wagner, brother David Bateman and sadly, her daughter Melinda Jiusto, son Thomas Donnelly and son-in-law Douglas Blaha. Her husband Michael Donnelly of Montour Falls, NY, daughters Julie Blaha of Odessa, NY, Colleen Donnelly (husband Paul Hack) of Oracle, AZ and son-in-law Scott Jiusto of Northampton, MA, survive Bonnie. Also surviving Bonnie are brother Daniel Bateman, 8 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and extended family members.

The family wishes to extend their sincere appreciation to all those who supported and cared for Bonnie during her last months, especially Sally Hill, Tonna Stanko, Tammy Wheeler, Care First NY and Elcor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

A memorial service celebrating Bonnie's life will be held at a later date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the United Way of Schuyler County.