Helen Bonham, 92, passed away Nov. 19, 2011, at Whidbey General Hospital, Coupeville.

Helen was born Jan. 13, 1919, in Bellingham, the youngest (ninth) child of Joseph an Harriet (Grey) Cary. She married Glenn Bonham on Jan. 7, 1989 and since then, they lived in Bellingham, Ferndale and Oak Harbor.

She was preceded in death by her husband Glenn Bonham and her six brothers and two sisters.

She is survived by two adult children by a previous marriage, Gary Benson of Boulder, Colo., and Cori (Benson) Siggens of Oak Harbor; six grandchildren, Terri Willis of Longmont, Colo., Ronald Benson of San Francisco, Keith Benson of Colorado Springs, Colo., Kenneth Benson of Langmont, Colo., Annette Jacobs of Gig Harbor, and Stuart Bridges of Bonney Lake; also 12 great-grandchildren, Kendra Rood, Christopher Fudge, Taylor Fudge, Joshua Fudge, Madelyn Stankiewicz, Ethan Stankiewicz, Kathry Benson, Brigitte Benson, Liam Benson, Fiona Benson, Naomi Benson and Dashiell Benson; and one great-great-granddaughter, Aubriana Rood.

She was always interested in watching football. When she was a child, her older brothers would playfully toss her into the air. Once she told her mother that she had to play football outside with her brothers because she was the football! She enjoyed her church family and especially her Bible study group. Her other interests included knitting, quilting, gardening, reading and traveling.

A memorial srvice will be held at 2 pm. Saturday, Dec. 10, at Whidbey Presbyterian Church, 1148 SE Eighth Ave. in Oak Harbor. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Guide Dogs for the Blind or to Help House of Oak Harbor.