Soap Lake's Rea remembered

SOAP LAKE - Smokiam Alternative High School secretary Bonnie Rea led a full life and helped many others along the way.

The Soap Lake wife, mother and grandmother devoted her time to family, work, fair board activities and the Smokiam Alternative High School Equestrian Team.

Rea, 63, died of pneumonia last weekend, said Loris Blair, the school's principal.

Rea's funeral is 3 p.m., Sunday, at the Soap Lake High School gymnasium, located at 410 Gingko St. S., Soap Lake.

Rea worked as Blair's secretary for 16 years and started the school's equestrian team with parent Mary Lou Langley.

"She was always friendly," Blair said. "She had a smile for everyone, even when she was chewing them out."

Langley commented how Rea used her own money to attend team meets out of town.

"She came and supported the kids at the meet and helped at the office all day long," Langley said.

Rea was also known for her service on the Grant County Fair Association Board of Directors and held many board offices.

Fellow board member and state Rep. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, said she knew Rea for nearly 40 years.

Warnick speaks at her service Sunday.

Most recently, they worked together on a 4-H horse program called the Grant-Adams 4-H Mini Show, started by Israel Rodriguez, of Othello.

The program allowed kids to show horses throughout the year.

"It was very, very successful for a long time," Warnick said. "We brought a lot of kids to that."

Rea's death "will be a huge loss for our area, especially for the youth of our area," Warnick said.

"You hear people say, 'It's for the kids,'" she said. "When Bonnie was doing the program, she meant it. She was dedicated to the kids, to them learning and having a good time."

Rea was also instrumental in having the Ardell Pavilion at the Grant County Fairgrounds built.

Marilyn Swartzentruber, now of Nampa, Idaho, knew Rea for more than 20 years when she lived in Ephrata.

Although Swartzentruber has been out of the area for seven years, the two women never lost contact with one another.

"Her friendship meant a lot to me," Swartzentruber said. "She was always jolly, always upbeat, just a friend everyone would want to have."

Swartzentruber said  Rea "loved those kids" at the alternative high school.

"She would always share with us her concern about the kids," Swartzentruber said.

Former state Sen. Joyce Mulliken, of Moses Lake, was also a friend of Rea's.

She was part of group of women dubbed the "Friday lunch bunch" who met at Don's Restaurant in Soap Lake each week.

"We just tried to get together whenever possible," Mulliken said. "Bonnie was absolutely hysterical. She was a fun person to be around and always had a smile."

"Never once did I hear Bonnie say a negative word about a person," Mulliken commented. "You like to be with people like that."