Bonnie Stone Durrence Family
Arranged by Spessard Stone

Bonceil Stone, known as "Bonnie," was born October 26, 1911, Sneads, Florida. She was the daughter of Isaac Hugh Stone and Lula Viola (Williams) Stone. At Miami Beach, Florida on July 6, 1935, she married James Foy Durrence, born December 24, 1904, Glennville, Georgia, son of Troy and Leona (Padgett) Durrence. Foy, a retired U. S. Sugar Corporation executive, died April 9, 1981, Clewiston, Florida. Bonnie died August 24, 2001, Denton Regional Medical Center, Denton, Texas They are buried in Ridgelawn Cemetery, Clewiston. "Bonnie" and Foy lived at 339 N. Owen Ave., Clewiston.

The Clewiston News of August 29, 2001 published her obituary:

“Bonceil (Bonnie) Stone Durrence
“Bonnie Durrence, 90, died in Denton, Texas, on Friday, August 24, 2001. She lived in Clewiston for the past 70 years. Mrs. Durrence was born in Sneads, Florida in 1911and moved with her family to Wauchula, Florida in 1912. In 1917, the family traveled in a mule drawn covered wagon to Bare Beach, Florida where they farmed and operated a general store. When the back waters of the Everglades flooded the southern interior of Florida, the family was evacuated to West Palm Beach via the Palm Beach Canal on her brother-in-law’s barge. She witnessed the great hurricanes of 1926 and 1928.

“She attended the Palm Beach School in the early 1920’s which is now the site of the School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. She graduated from business school and moved to Clewiston in 1927. Mrs. Durrence became one of the first tellers at the First Bank of Clewiston. In 1935, she married James Foy Durrence, originally of Glennville, Georgia, who preceded her in death in 1981.

“Mrs. Durrence enjoyed volunteer work as a Pink Lady at the hospital and helping at the polls during elections. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and the Golf Association. She continued to play golf until she was 84 years of age and was a City Women’s Champion . She was an active member of Clewiston Community Presbyterian Church. She fondly remembered and greatly appreciated the additional support and love she received from her church and longtime friends as her health began to fail.

“She is survived by her daughter, Bonnie Faye Johnson and son-in-law Stephen of Corinth, Texas; her son, Michael Durrence and daughter-in-law Nancy, of West Palm Beach; four grandchildren Kelly Johnson and wife Suyapa of Corinth, Texas; Jason Johnson and wife Maura of Coppell, Texas; Jennifer Durrence of Washington, D.C. and Jeffrey Durrence of Wellington, Florida; and four great-grandchildren Luis, Gabriela, Caleb, and Colin Johnson of Texas.

“Funeral services will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 29 at the Community Presbyterian Church in Clewiston at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in her name to the Community Presbyterian Church at 407 N. Royal Palm Ave. in Clewiston.”

Bonnie S. Durrence, Clewiston, Fla.

L-R: Bonnie Durrence, Bonnie Faye Durrrence (b. Jan. 26, 1941), Billie Hooker Crowe (b. 1921), Billie Sue Crowe (b. Oct. 1940), Clewiston, March 9, 1941