Therese Bonner More

Therese Bonner More died peacefully on October 17, 2025, at the Nazareth House in San Diego, California, at age 94. A beautiful woman of deep faith, boundless energy, and remarkable intellect, she lived a life devoted to family and spiritual growth.

Born on July 5, 1931, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Therese was the daughter of a proud Irish American family with roots in Burtonport, County Donegal, Ireland. Her father, Michael E. Bonner, was a successful dentist in St. Paul, and her mother Katherine was a homemaker. She was the youngest of four children: Mary Katherine, Theonita, John, and herself.

At age four, while visiting Los Angeles with her mother and sister, Therese was approached by a Hal Roach Studios talent agent. Noting her resemblance to Shirley Temple, he asked if Therese would be interested in appearing in the “Our Gang” comedies. She served as a stand-in for Darla in several episodes and enjoyed meeting the cast – especially Spanky McFarland, who reminded her of a childhood friend. After a short time in Hollywood, her parents decided to return to St. Paul – thus curtailing her acting career.

Back in St. Paul, Therese attended Nativity Parish and carried her Catholic faith with her throughout her life. She survived scarlet fever and a house fire as a child. She attended Derham Hall Prep School and continued her formal education at the College of St. Catherine, where she graduated with a degree in Psychology in 1953. Therese earned a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University in New York City in 1956. She thoroughly enjoyed living in the Big Apple, taking in all the sights and sounds and even landing a role as a dancer in the Broadway hit Singing in the Rain. Following graduation from Columbia, she worked with troubled juveniles in New York City and then as a probation officer for Hennepin County in Minneapolis.

In 1958, she married Wilson “Bill” More, a widower with two small children, after being set up on a blind date eight months earlier. Together they built a vibrant life filled with children, bouncing balls, and nonstop activity. In 1968, the family moved to Arlington Heights, Illinois, occupying a five-bedroom house with a paved sports court in the backyard. Therese worked alongside Bill in the furniture business as independent manufacturers’ representatives. Therese’s talent for interior design contributed significantly to their business success. Escaping the cold and dark of Chicagoland every January, they drove to the annual furniture market in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After the market, they enjoyed a winter getaway to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where Bill’s sister and brother-in-law lived. They frequently came home to wild backyard keggers attended by BGHS students going on well into the night at 610 Kingsbury!

In 1997, Bill and Therese moved to Alpine, California, to enjoy their retirement years in the Southern California sun and be close to their five grandchildren. Over the years, she formed lasting friendships with several Catholic priests, and she supported Catholic charities throughout the world. In 1999, Therese created a Bible study program at their new parish, Queen of Angels. In addition to the Bible study program, Therese led numerous pilgrimages to religious sites across the Holy Lands, Rome, and Poland. Therese led her final pilgrimage when she was 88 years old – a testament to her unmatched energy, organizational skills, and commitment to spiritual growth.

Therese’s love for travel extended beyond religious journeys. She explored Southeast Asia and Europe, where her children were studying abroad, and she made several trips to Mexico with Bill and their children. Always up for an adventure (which frequently resulted in her getting a speeding ticket), she embraced each new experience with tenacity and laughter. Therese was classically fashionable; she wore colorful skirts and dresses with well-matched heels, and she had the perfect hat for every formal occasion.

Her intellectual vibrancy was matched by her eloquence. A prolific reader, she sprinkled French, Italian, and Latin into conversation. “Toujours gai,” she’d say, and if you didn’t know it, “Look it up!”

Her gift for storytelling was legendary; she could strike up a conversation with almost anyone and forge an instant connection, drawing out details like where the listener grew up and went to school, what their father’s occupation was, and what parish they attended.

Therese was proud of her Irish heritage, and she celebrated Irish culture and storytelling with gusto. Every St. Patrick’s Day, she would wear her iconic kelly green suede blazer and sing “Dear Old Donegal,” accurately rattling off all the Irish surnames one after another – keeping alive the traditions of the Bonner ancestors while creating fun memories for her kids.

Therese and Bill raised a large and rowdy family. She found joy in supporting her children’s activities – from cheering them on at Buffalo Grove High School to welcoming neighborhood kids into the family’s famously hospitable “blackyard.” She delighted in every moment spent with her children: Terry, Bill, Jane, Robert, Caroline, Tom, Michael, Shelagh, John (Skip), and Jim.

Therese was predeceased by her beloved husband Bill after 48 years of marriage, as well as by their son Bill and daughter Caroline. Therese’s legacy lives on through her ten children, five grandchildren, four great-grandsons, and all those whose lives were touched by her intellect, humor, unwavering pursuit of the truth, and adherence to the Catholic faith.

A funeral Mass was held at Sacred Heart Parish in Coronado, California, on October 22, 2025. She was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in San Diego.

If you would like to give a memorial, three of Therese’s charities include: Aid to the Church in Need, The Nazareth House and KNOM Catholic Mission radio station in Nome, Alaska.

May her memory be a blessing and inspiration to all who knew her – ad vitam aeternam.