BONNIE GAY LEAKE

Bonnie Gay Leake 1945 - 2021. With a deep feeling of loss and sadness, we must announce the sudden and unexpected passing of Bonnie Leake on January 13th. Bonnie passed of noncovid natural causes related to her cancer treatments.

Bonnie was a long term resident of southern Nevada, initially living in Blue Diamond when her family moved here in 1955. In 1958, the family moved into the Vegas valley where Bonnie grew up. She graduated from Las Vegas High School in 1963 and worked in Las Vegas until her retirement in 2005.

Her energy and optimism was also demonstrated in her professional life. Early in her career she was hired on with Union Pacific railroad as a clerk and after 9 years Bonnie became the first woman locomotive engineer at Union Pacific. She had a long and very successful career with them, retiring in 2007. Being the first woman locomotive engineer presented a variety of challenges in those days, but Bonnie rose to the occasion and had a very successful career. Sitting with her and listening to her recount her railroad stories, you couldn’t help notice both the opportunity and the challenge that career offered her. As always she rose to the occasion and succeeded and had a lot of fun along the way.

While her professional life was successful, interesting and commendable, everyone who knew Bonnie knew of her love for animals. Bonnie grew up in a rural setting with many pets and spent a lot of time horseback riding with family and friends in the sand dunes and mesquite bushes that covered the southeast side of Vegas in those days. She was also an active 4-H member and she won many ribbons participating in equestrian gymkhanas and rodeo events (such as horseback barrel racing) in those years. During the rest of her life, Bonnie would continue to have many pets and she supported many animal care organizations over the years, including right up to her passing. It didn’t matter how mangy or beaten down an animal was, if it found its way to Bonnie it had a home for life. In her retirement years she spent a lot of time taking care of her many and varied pets and for her it was truly a labor of love.

Finally, Bonnie’s kindness was not limited to her pets. Bonnie was the “go to” person in the family and helped many family members when they needed some financial help to either stay afloat or get ahead. She was a very successful investor and generous in sharing her time and resources to help the family.

For all the above reasons and many more, Bonnie’s passing leaves a big hole in the family. Preceded in death by her parents Eleanor and Gabe and her younger sister Beverly, she’ll be deeply missed by her daughter Bonnie Horsley, her brothers Lee and Gene, and her long term companion Ira Happy. Bonnie’s Celebration of Life will be announced at a future date when all of her friends and family are able to attend. Memorial contributions can be made in her name to the animal care organization of your choice.

Services are pending.