Bonnie Lou Green Holmes was born in Dry Creek Cove, Lacey’s Spring, Morgan County, Alabama, the daughter of Jesse C. Green and Ruth Oakes Green. Loved and admired by all who knew her, she leaves a long list of career, civic, church and personal accomplishments.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Emern Jr. “Sherlock” Holmes, son Kenneth Wayne Holmes; siblings Ellis and Russell Green, Agnes Weeks and Deliphene Miller. She is survived by son, Raymond Lyle Cheatham of Eva; grandchildren Zachary Holmes (Erika) of Gardendale, Corey Cheatham (Brandi) of Eva, Casey Sandlin (Greg) of Cullman, and Robert Cheatham of Eva; great-grandchildren Alyssa and Anna Sandlin, Isabel Folds and Maddie Cheatham; sisters Joan Ozbolt (Joe) and Jessie Ruth Sturdivant (Claude); and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was extremely proud of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and never missed an opportunity to share this with anyone.
Bonnie graduated from Eva High School in 1947 and Andrew Jackson Business College of Nashville in 1948. At the age of 18, she began a long and illustrious career, working first at the Morgan County Courthouse and then at the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) at Redstone Arsenal. While at ABMA she was selected from a pool of secretaries to be secretary for Dr. Werner von Braun, the German rocket scientist who was to lead the rocket development program at ABMA, from which Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was organized. She was such an exceptional secretary that she was elevated to become his personal administrative assistant, and he often referred to her as “his boss”. While in this capacity, she witnessed the “birth” of NASA’s space and rocket program, and was privileged to meet four U.S. Presidents, Walt Disney, several astronauts, and became friends with many notables. After her retirement from MSFC, she worked at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center assisting in securing funding for the I-Max Theater there.
She was selected as the Town Clerk for the burgeoning community of Eva, and was instrumental in leading the establishment of the Eva Library. She was active in Hamby’s Chapel United Methodist Church, serving in many capacities, and always supportive in all ways. She will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.
Visitation will be Sunday Dec. 7th from 5:00PM to 9:00PM at Peck Funeral Home. Service will be Monday Dec. 8th at 2:00PM at Hamby’s Chapel. Bonnie will lie in state from 1:00PM to 2:00PM prior to the service. Peck Funeral Home will be directing. Nephews will be pallbearers. Memorials may be made by donation to The Bonnie G. Holmes Memorial Fund at EvaBank (any location), or mail to 1710 Cherokee Ave., SW, Cullman, AL 35055.
