Regan Bonato

Regan Dee Bonato, 78, passed away unexpectedly Jan. 29, 2025, from complications of the flu. 

The eldest daughter of Peggy Lee and Elmer Berryhill, Regan was born Jan. 1, 1947, in Bremerton, Wash. She began residing in Moses Lake in 1951, completing her K-12 education in the Moses Lake School District and graduating from Moses Lake High School in 1965. There, she explored her love of reading and remembered that Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” was one of the most influential reads of her young life. 

In 1967, Regan married Loren Schrag; together, they had two sons — Barry Randall Schrag (b.1967) and Kenneth Paul Schrag (b. 1971) and embarked on a journey as world travelers, moving as a family to Botswana in support of the Mennonite Central Committee’s agricultural development work.  

After divorcing in the late 1970s, she married Dave Bonato in 1984 and relished their years together before his passing in 2008.  

Words cannot express the depth of commitment and passion Regan poured into her community. Often stepping into leadership roles, even when the prospect was daunting, Regan lived a life of service to others. A bookkeeper by trade and a book lover by passion, she applied her professional skills and interests to various committees and projects. Many will recall her work with the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District and the Moses Lake Rotary Club. But nowhere was her heart more rooted than in her commitment to her faith. 

Since her baptism in the 1960s, Regan was a devoted and beloved member of the Menno Mennonite Church in Ritzville, Wash. Her dedication to the Mennonite Country Auction for nearly 40 years and her collaboration with Women in Mission on crafting Prayer Quilts for community members in need are just a few examples of her unwavering commitment to her faith. Additional things to note about this most beloved woman were her great love of quilting, poetry writing, piano playing and the confection Divinity (made fresh over the holidays). 

Family and friends were very important to Regan. She enjoyed spending time over dinners, card games, travel, wine tasting, casino fun, watching movies and simply hanging out. Regan always made herself available to others and was treasured for her love, support and advice. Regan's kindness and bravery were evident in everything she did; her legacy will live on in the hearts of her family and all those who knew her. She is survived by two sons, Barry Schrag and Kenneth (Yasuko) Schrag, grandchildren Katarina and Kennan Schrag, sister Toni (Dennis) Beasly, daughter-in-love Dawn Proffitt-Schrag, and several nieces and nephews.  

She is also survived by members of Dave’s family, including stepsons Jonathan and David Bonato Jr., and step-grandchildren Jennifer Bonato Mwamgi and James Whitmer.  

She was predeceased by her parents, husband Dave, stepson Tony Bonato, stepdaughter-in-law Gayle Whitmer Bonato and step-grandson Matthew Bonato. 

Her Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 p.m. at the Menno Mennonite Church. It will begin with the internment service at the Menno Cemetery (north of the church), followed by a service in its chapel. Afterward, there will be cookies and tea in the Fellowship Hall. Her family hopes this time provides an opportunity for the community to remember and celebrate Regan's remarkable life. For those who cannot attend in person, the service will be live-streamed at 3 p.m. at https://bit.ly/MENNOSTREAM.  

Instead of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations may be made to the 

Mennonite Central Committee
PO Box 500
Akron, PA 17501 

Menno Mennonite Church
1378 North Damon Road
Ritzville, WA 99169 

Or: 

The Rotary Scholarship Foundation
PO Box 525
Moses Lake, WA 98837