Frederick Charles Bonner, Sr., age 78, of Blacksburg, Virginia passed away Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at Lewis Gale Medical Center in Salem. He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina on Feb. 2, 1939, to the late Frederick Dodd and Sarah McCullers Bonner.
Fred grew up in Aurora, North Carolina and was an avid outdoorsman and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. In his youth, he was an Eagle Scout and served in the Air Force. He earned a B.S. in Wildlife Management from North Carolina State University and worked as a research biologist for the Pamlico Marine Laboratory as well as a fish and wildlife manager for the state of Delaware.
Upon returning to North Carolina, Fred wrote the Sunday outdoor column for the Raleigh News and Observer before serving as the editor of the newspaper’s outdoor magazine, Carolina Adventure. His syndicated column appeared in numerous North Carolina newspapers, including the Washington Daily News.
He also served as the outdoor editor for the North Carolina and Virginia News Network, broadcasting daily radio shows on as many as 135 radio stations.
He is survived by his wife, Cynthia Bonner, of Blacksburg; his son, Frederick Charles Bonner, Jr. and wife Michelle of Aurora, North Carolina; his son, James McCullers Bonner of Delaware City, Delaware; and his daughter, Jennette Moreno and husband Michael of Houston, Texas.
Also surviving is his self-adopted Icelandic brother, Oli Bjarnason and wife, Manwai, of Texas. Grandchildren include Patrick Bonner, Forrest Bonner, Clarissa Bonner, Harrison Moreno and Reese Moreno.
The family will receive friends from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday, March 4 at the McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Dr. SW, Blacksburg. A memorial service will be held during the Memorial Day weekend in eastern North Carolina. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Fisheries and Wildlife program in the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University.
