Date Of Birth: 10-30-1955
Date Deceased: 8-19-2014
Age at Death: 58
Classmate City: Glenrock
Classmate State: WY
Classmate Country: USA
Survived By: Elaine is survived by her husband, Arthur Alphin, of Glenrock and her parents, Richard and Janice Bonilla of Poteau, Oklahoma. Reported by Brian Kerr.
Elaine Marie Bonilla Alphin died Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at her home in Glenrock, Wyoming; She was born October 30, 1955 in San Francisco, California the daughter of Richard E. and Janice (Toler) Bonilla. She was raised and educated in San Francisco, Savanah, Georgia, New York City, New York, and Houston, Texas. She attended Lafayette Elementary School in San Francisco. Then the family moved to New York City, where she attended William H. Carr Junior High School.
After that the family moved to Houston, and she attended and graduated from Westchester High School in 1973 and went onto Rice University in Houston where she received her BA degree. She attended and received her MA degree from York University in York, England. In the 1970’s and 1980’s she wrote over 200 articles for various periodicals. She was married to Arthur B. Alphin on May 9, 1982 in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
They lived in Madison, Wisconsin, Bozeman, Montana, Chamberlain, South Dakota, and have lived in Glenrock since July, 2010. Elaine taught at the Institute for Children’s Literature in Connecticut. She wrote her first children’s book in 1989 and finished her 33rd book in 2011. On August 7, 2011 she had a stroke which ended her writing career and from that point she was cared by her husband, Arthur.
She was a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Writing was Elaine’s passion and life and she was Arthur’s love of life and mate for life.
Elaine is survived by her husband, Arthur Alphin, of Glenrock and her parents, Richard and Janice Bonilla of Poteau, Oklahoma.
A memorial to Good Bears of the World, P.O. Box 13097, Toledo, Ohio 43613 would be appreciated by the family. The Gorman Funeral Homes – Converse Chapel of Douglas, Wyoming is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.gormanfh.com
