Vanessa Bonner has two celebrations

05-14-2008

Vanessa Marie Bonner celebrated her 25th birthday on May 3 and received her master’s of science in biology from Jacksonville State University on May 2. Family members and local and out-of-state friends helped her celebrate graduation at Western Sizzlin’ Restaurant in Oxford. Vanessa is the daughter of Robert and Margie W. Bonner and, the niece of Horace L. Williams. Among the dinner guests were her aunt Frances W. Abercrombie and cousin Dana J Abercrombie of Decatur, Ga., Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., student Quin’Nita Cobbins, Victor Issac and Ashley Reid- Portiez, Theorun and Carol Anderson and their daughter, Cassidee Anderson, attorney Nathaniel and Lynetta Owens, and their son Nathaniel Owens of Anniston, Michelle Elston and her son Matthew Elston and Cheneil Sanders of Jacksonville. Theorun and Carol Anderson and Victor Issac gave Vanessa a power point presentation in celebration of her life with the background music from the song, “Never Could Have Made It!” by Marvin Sapp. The presentation included the various aspects of Vanessa’s life from birth to include her education starting at Shirley Reid’s Children’s House, Kitty Stone Elementary, Jacksonville High School, Fisk University, Jacksonville State University, her trips to Germany, Mexico, the Bahamas, road trips to various states, and extracurricular activities such as playing alto saxophone, singing in choir and soccer, special friends and family events. Vanessa, a former member of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Eastwood Community, was surprised when she arrived at her birthday dinner and was given congratulations and well wishes by Rev. Jeffery Leonard and members of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville who were attending a pre-celebratory dinner at Western Sizzlin’ in honor of their pastor’s anniversary. On Sunday, May 4, Vanessa went with family and friends to Biloxi, Miss., to spend a few days on the beach, sightsee and visit her Uncle Jonathan Williams who retired from Kessler Air force Base, his wife, Jessica and their family. Vanessa’s cousin, Jessica Ellen Phillips of Huntsville, (daughter of Onna (Williams), formerly of Jacksonville and the granddaughter of Mary Ellen Williams, and the late Jesse Williams of Jacksonville, who, also, graduated on Friday night from JSU, traveled along with other members of Vanessa’s group to Mississippi. Other members included Vanessa’s parents, Robert and Margie Bonner, her Aunt Frances W. Abercrombie and her cousin Dana J Abercrombie of Decatur, Ga., and Vanessa’s fellow JSU friends Che Neil Sanders of Jacksonville and Tiffany Henderson of Birmingham. In recognition of Vanessa’s accomplishments and as a birthday gift, on May 11-18, Vanessa will go to Orlando, Fla., along with her mother, her aunt Frances W. Abercrombie and cousin Dana Abercrombie of Decatur, Ga., a trip provided by her aunt Mary Williams (widow of the Late Dr. Robert Williams, Vanessa’s uncle) of Auburn who will go with the group.

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