The Day the Gators Left the Bayou
Barry Bonifay
3/15/2000

My mother’s eye glow when she tells the story of how Dad took her on a boat ride up Bayou Texar and stopped in front of the pine grove that now makes up part of our property and said, “How would you like for me to build you a house on that hill?” That romantic moment was the way he proposed to her and it was also the seeds for the paradise that their children would be brought up in. A place of great natural beauty where the wild things still lived all around us.

The porpoise were still there in the summer of 1957 and they would come up to the end of our dock on summer mornings and cry for us to come play. They never got close enough to touch, but they seemed to love watching us play on the dock and in the water.

It wasn’t was a couple of years later that home building and development along the bayou drove the porpoise and gators out as the water became murky and the grasses that harbored fish died out for lack of sun light.

The phone rang and it was our neighbor, Andy Welles, telling me to look out the window at the gators swimming down the bayou. I went to the window of our house on the hill and sure enough, I could see three gators moving slowly toward the bridge and the mouth of the bayou, where it empties into Pensacola Bay. I was about thirteen and I hollered at Mom to come look also. There were people all along the shore watching the two big gators and one smaller one as they made their way down the bayou.

I begged Mom to take us down to the bridge because I knew we could get a better view from there. She agreed and we were soon on our way toward a surprising event. When we got to the bridge, we discovered that several hundred people who lived along the bayou had the same idea we did. The bridge was full of people and the police were there trying to keep the pedestrians off the car part of the bridge. The gators were making their way toward the bridge and the crowd pointed with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ as they got close and then passed under the bridge. Mayhem broke out as the crowd moved across the other side of the bridge. The police had anticipated this and had stopped the traffic on Cervantes Street.

What they didn’t expect, was the fellow on the other side with a high powered rifle, who had launched a canoe from the Mirador Apartments. He was dressed in khaki shorts and shirt and one of those hats like Teddy Roosevelt wore on his African hunting expeditions. He paddled out about 60’ into the bayou and then stood up right in front of all of everyone on the bridge and point the rifle at the alligators. The crowd on the bridge roared loud, “Nooooo!”

The police officer with the bull horn spat out: “put the gun down, sir, this is the Pensacola Police Department; put the gun down.”

The man continued to point and raised the sight to his head. The policeman yelled again through the horn, “Put the gun down, you are under arrest, put the gun down and paddle to shore.” Three policemen along the rail had their guns out and had assumed firing position.

The moment was tense.
The crowd held its breath.
No one said a word.

Then, ever so slowly, he lowered the gun and the alligators slipped quietly into another life. The crowd cheered for the gators and everyone on the bridge felt that good feeling one feels when right and goodness win out in life. The big game hunter was repentant stating he was only trying to protect people from the alligators. During that period of my life, I was a paper boy and had to ride my bicycle across that bridge every morning. Few were the mornings that I didn’t think about those gators and what their leaving meant to our paradise on that bayou. As a grown man, I still think of them as our first real loss of innocence. As development and municipal mosquito spraying increased, we also lost the horn toads, the fireflies, and many species of butterflies that lived in our neighborhood. There were years when we couldn’t even swim in our bayou.

I wonder if the kids who live on the bayou now know that this was once a live bayou, teaming with every kind of marine life. During the Great Depression of the twenties, our family survived on fish from Bayou Texar. During the next seventy five years, our family saw a lot of things we love, leave the bayou. My Dad and uncle and their sons still fish there for trout in the wintertime. My nieces and nephew ski there during the summer.

Recently, the community along the bayou fought location of a cell phone tower adjacent to the bayou bridge that ruined a still beautiful vista as you come down the hill to the bridge. When I heard that the community had won their fight, I remembered this event from my childhood and how I felt on the day the gators left the bayou.

Stories added at the request of Barry Bonifay

If you wish to add any stories you may send them to me and I will be glad to post them!

I need to add a post about the 2011 Bonifay Family Reunion I have been so behind on posting hopefully I can catch up with some new stuff soon!

MK


A Story by Larry Bonifay

Another chapter in the life and times of the story-tellers family. Summer 1959, family fishing and camping on the Yellow River at Millers Bluff Landing. Uncle EF, Aunt Eva, Mom, Dad, George, Gibson, Evon, and Curly and all the kids were there. This was the summer I would never forget. Dad backed his old 1950 Chevy hunting car down the river to unload the boat, he left me behind the wheel to pull the hand brake after he chalked the tires. Dad started pushing the boat, the brake didn’t hold, my legs were too short. The boat trailer and car rolled in the river, nearly running over dad as it went by. The trunk popped open and there went our worms and coffee rolls floating down the river. The look on Dad’s face was one I’ll never forget. This was also the trip Stuart, Barry, and I caught the giant logger head turtle in the field behind the camp. We rode him and pulled him back to camp not knowing he would become instant meal. This was also the time Dad caught the raccoon in the cast net. ‘Never tried that again. Yes, there were many fun things we did on the river. I remember the time Barry sat on a bucket, fishing, and sit it right on a Copperhead. Boy, was that thing mad. We ended up counting to three and kicking the snake and bucket into the river. Oh yeah, Mama was always there cooking her hushpuppies. This was also the trip Mom and Dad went to their favorite fishing spot to catch a mess for supper. They didn’t catch a thing. We sat right there on the bank, stringer full. We provided supper that night. I remember another time Randy, Pete, Barry, and I went with the German boy who lived at the fish camp to a swimming hole. We were in a 16 foot river boat floating down the river when we floated under this limb. We all looked up, just in time to see this 7ft. Rattlesnake falling off this limb and landing in the boat. We all jumped in the water and the snake was in the boat, floating down the river. I never swam so fast in all my life.

Yes, we had a lot of good times when we were kids and had about the best childhood any kid could have. We were bayou kids, thanks to my mother and father. You didn’t need many toys, all you needed was a boat, a crab net, and a friend. And that friend, a lot of times, was Andy Welles. Yes, on the bayou, you could create any adventure you wanted, but that’s the source of another story. Family outings, I remember some of the best times were family fish-frys and uncle Clarence’s barbecues. Yes, from sun up to sun down, eating, skiing, swimming, and having fun. I remember names like Sport, Mullethead, Alex Early, George Gibson, IB Huggins, Bud Harold, Robert Williams, Buddy Hutto, Donald Martin, Joey Bancroft, and many more hunting and fishing buddies of Dad’s. I remember aunt Rose, she looked like a movie star. She had a white T-Bird convertible – boy was it pretty. That was the year Pete sat in the fire ant bed and had to be hosed down, and of course Mama was there, cooking 10,000 hushpuppies. Uncle Clarence used to cook the best barbecue chicken on his grill and we had a pretty cocker spaniel named Lady. She would always be lying near the pit, if you know what I mean. Yes, we had special things we did with different cousins. One of our favorite things was diving off the bayou bridge with Ann, Don, and Clarice. Also, sitting on Uncle Clarence’s porch, looking for shooting stars over the bay at night. Joyce was one of my favorite cousins, we had a lot of bop parties at her house, I guess cause she had all the records. I guess, every year we went to the fair when I was a kid. We practiced a month ahead, jumping the fence, if you know what I mean. I wonder what would have happened if we had been caught? Living on the bayou was great for the menu. Hungry you just went down to the water, summer or winter. Oysters, shrimp, crabs, mullet, or trout. Yes, we had porpoises swim by the dock when we were kids, you never see that today. Yes, some of the good times are gone forever, but our dreams and memories will be with us til we die.

Beach cottages, everyone should have one. We did. Dad bought an old house from downtown, had it trucked down the bay. We spent many a weekend fixing it up. And when it was dark, we would go over to uncle EF’s and catch, scale, clean, and eat mullet. Boy, those were the days. I wish I had a dollar for every one I scaled and a quarter for everyone dad caught. Yes, I owe a lifetime of good memories to my mother and father and all of my aunts and uncles. Uncle EF was my favorite uncle – to me, he was the man of many tools. I used to sit around for hours and listen to stories about the past, kind of like I’m telling you. If you really wanted to see his eye light up, tell him you had a mesh of mullet in the back of the truck. He would say, “Eva, put on the grease and coffee!” Then, he would get out his hunting knife and head to the cleaning table. I remember the time Reed and Paul filled the whole back of his truck with mullet during roe season. Boy, that was the topic over many a cup of coffee.

Mullet fishing, now that’s a good topic. Reed, remember the night we went fishing and you brought Fella down to the dock? Of course, Dad wouldn’t let him go, we left him on the dock, not knowing that he jumped over when we left. By the time we discovered him, we was nearly drowned from following us. That shaggy dog went everywhere with him, even school. I also remember the time Dad and I came back from fishing and I scaled while Dad cleaned. I was really tired and sleepy Dad asked me if I missed scaling any, I said no. Well, have you ever eaten fried mullet with scales on them? I have. I learned how to scale in my sleep after that.

Having fun on the bayou – Stuart, remember the raft that Judge Beall gave me and I towed it home? That became the source of many a raft war. And we all became king of the raft at one time or another. My favorite advisory was Andy Welles. I’d say he was my best friend in those days and probably still is. Even though I hadn’t seen him for years, there’s something about childhood friends that really grows on you. People like Rusty, Billy, Ken, and Dickey Davis – yes we fought like heck over everything from football to mud-fights and tree-fort wars. It seemed it was always between us and them, but we would end up as friends as always on an individual basis. Remember the Vonances? The Bens? The Corners? The Hesses? Yes, all neighborhood families and kids that were the Bayou Bunch. Remember Janet Nativy? The Carters? Hat was Janet deathly afraid of? Stuart knows, don’t you? By the way most all these kids ate a sandwiched fixed by Mama at sometime or other. She was lovingly called Aunt Bo by all. Remember the time Stuart and I snuck Dad’s boat out to go to the top club and on the way back, the motor jumped off the boat? After getting brave enough to tell him, we ended up taking a trip back to the spot for a cold, winter dive. As Dad’s luck, we found two motors, his and an old Johnson 25. As history will show, Stuart planned the deed and I was always caught.

When I reached 16, it was car city. My first car was, you guess it, my famous ’62 Falcon. The one Stuart and I were in when we wrecked, skipping church on Sunday. Boy, if that car could talk. I remember many a moonlight night on bluffs with one girl or another. Those were fast times, fast cars, and a good face slap.

Friday night was Steak Night at our house, Dad would cook steaks on the grill and Mama would have baked potatoes and salad – boy, that was a treat. And when shrimp season started, it was even better. That’s a topic for another story. There’s a fine art to shrimping. Instead of holding your mouth just right, you pulled your net at just the right speed. Shrimping with Dad was quite an experience. Cold water, rough water, sting nettles, sting rays, out of gas, hung up are terms Dad still wouldn’t give up and go in for if the boat was sinking. It was shut up and bail, if out of gas, it was shut up and paddle faster. We didn’t go in until we had shrimp for supper. There’s something about shrimping for hours at a time and catching only 5 lbs of shrimp that makes it stick to your bones and sore fingers. I wish I had a penny for every shrimp my Mama peeled. Love you, Mama. Love you, Dad.

Speaking of Dad, he did it all. I wish I could follow in half of his footsteps. All of us boys and one daughter have a little of him in us. Dad is quite a genius, if it’s based on ‘smart is as smart does’. He could knit a cast net to the finish, make his own fishing leads, overhaul a car, boat truck outboard motor, and he could fix anything we boys tore up and you had to pretty smart for that. He was awarded several combinations for good ideas at the Naval Air Station over the years. I remember the time Barry needed a science project for Mr. Boges’ class. It was during the 60s Space Race – Dad made a rocket out of stainless steel tubing that really flew. They fired it off at school, boy – a real hit. My dad had this real fine lady we called our Mama. She was quite special to us kids. But I’m proud to say she was special to everyone she met. Her friends would tell you she never met a stranger, if she ran out of someone to help or feed, she would go out of her way to find someone else. The kids all called Mama Aunt Bo. Some kids actually would come over on the weekend and forget they had a mama to go home to. Mama’s first words were, “Come on in” and second, “Are you hungry?” I don’t think she ever had a ‘no’ answer. Mama came from a poor family in Alabama and she knew how to make food go a long way.

One of my favorite foods was what she called Depression Patties, made from leftover mashed potatoes and onions, fried up in a pan, and sweet potatoes and apple tarts and one mean banana pudding. Yes, my Mama could cook anything from scratch, a meal fit for a king. Yes, with five kids, I’ve seen 10lb. platters of shrimp fried to a golden brown, served with a baked potato and salad topped off with a gallon of tea and big ol’ banana pudding for dessert. We were not eating at poor folks either. Yes, even today, after twenty years of marriage, Mama puts on a pot of coffee and heating the skillet when she sees us coming down the driveway. Yes, Mama between kids, cooking, cleaning house, nursing puppies, and baby squirrels and chickens, Mama had her hands full. She never one complained, that I can remember.

Yes, we were a close knit family, a real patriotic family, and still are today. I am writing this story as the Gulf War, in its 37th day and we have started the ground wars. ‘Brings back memories of when Dad and all my uncles were in the big war. Yes, Dad was on of the heroes of World War II, he’s on eof the reasons I was born free and the main reason I was born – I love you, Dad. He was wounded in the knee and still has the bullet in his leg. I remember, as a kid, going through Dad’s famous gun locker. Dad had all these treasures from the war: guns, fire helmets, bayonets – even a German flag. With all these trophies, you couldn’t get him to talk or brag about it. Yes, he tried to forget that awful war that he was so lucky to come back from and unfortunate to be in. Another hero to me was my uncle Earl. He left when Dad did, but he joined the Navy. He had a ship blow up, he was on in the Pacific, but he just swan over to another one and kept on fighting. Also, a man we all looked up to all along was Uncle Samp. Mama’s brother, he was a Marine. He fought in Iwo Jima and Guam in the war in the Pacific. He stayed in the Marines all his life. He even served in Vietnam. Another hero during the war was my grandma, she had all the service wives home with her and she took messages to all the troops and families around town. I bet that was hard on her, having all those boys overseas at one time. She was the matriarch of the Bonifay family, but that’s another story.

Grandmothers – I had two of them. My Dad’s side, we called Grandma. My mama’s side, called Mammy. You could tell them apart easily at a family outing. Grandma was the big one with the extra plate. Mammy was the skinny one, all primped up, talking about grandma. I can hear her now, “That’s enough food for an ox”, she would say. Yes, Grandma was some eater, also one heck of a cook. Her cooking was legendary: chicken oyster gumbo, crab gumbo, shrimp jambalaya, red meat and gravy, fish chowder… I hope someone has the recipes. Grandma was so sweet and full of love. She had this wonderful way with kids, teaching them tossing and play the piano with the Lord as a guide. I remember going to church on Sunday with her and all my cousins. She would give us a few pennies each, to put in the offering basket. She never gave up as long as she lived, impressing on the important of the Lord. There are many a tale and joke about her. Being hardworking and fruitful during the Depression, she learned how to stretch a buck and a meal. Wasting food may have been a menial sin, but it was a mortal sin to her. She made dog food out of leftovers and all her orange peels and fruit rinds were poured on her plants. She was a firm believer in talking to her plants, they were so pretty. My Mama has that touch today. I remember as a kid, Grandma having bunco every Saturday at her house. There would be a bunch of little old ladies and some big ones sitting around card tables with pads and dice and a little bell they would ring if they won. I remember names like Delahanty, Noah Kenny, she was so skinny and swift. She loved her bigo bunco and wrestling. That was the only time I saw grandma jump up and down and holler. She really believed it was real fighting. She never quit trying to get Dad to go to church. Dad really loved his mother, he was the baby in the family. He would drop us kids off on a Saturday to rake and clean her yard, I guess that’s where I learned to love working outdoors. After raking her yard, she would help us pick up hickory nuts and we would take them and sell them to the barbecue pits around town. Then, we would always go by the dairy bar and get an ice cream cone or a milkshake. I’ll never forget a trip downtown, with her driving, she went down a one-way street, the wrong way. Hoyce told her, but she never listened to her. We all hollered to pull over, but she just said, ‘those crazy loons’. She always said St. Christopher was in the backseat, but I think this time, he was in front. She was so sweet to everyone, She used to go by Carl’s Bakery and get day-old coffee rolls on the way home from bingo. She’d make her rounds to everyone’s house, making sure every last kid got a roll. She would honk her horn and flash her lights. We kids would run out and help her down the steps, holding onto Grandma, good and tight. We still take doughnuts and coffee today, thanks to her sweetness, get it?

Grandma used to tell a story about her and her sister as kids. They went down to the water to get a bucket of water. They found an alligator’s nest with babies. Along came mother alligator and Grandma said she and Annie had to run zig-zag up the trail to keep one step ahead of that alligator. She said it had big, red eyes. That story has been shared and retold to many a grandchild. I’m sure my grandkids will hear these stories and lots more. Yes, Grandma was one of the best and her love will always be felt by the family, not just remembered. I think part of my heart went with her to Heaven when she died. My other grandmother was on my mother’s side. She was really a character. We called her Mammy. I don’t know if anybody knows it, but when she died, she took Perry mason with her. Yes, I had the special privilege of being one of Mammy’s favorites.

Barry Bonifay
July 19 at 12:36pm · Like · Report

Yvonne Strouse, Debbie Bonifay and Runuts Iam like this.
Moriah Kirksey isn't Evon spelled Yvonne?
July 19 at 1:37pm · Like
Roxanne Spivey Bonifay Larry - I even heard a few things I hadn't heard before....Moriah - That's only the tip of the iceberg, but I love the stories! We'll have to clean it up for the book.
July 19 at 5:18pm · Like
Barry Bonifay Why are Larry's memories so much better than mine? Darn you Larry! I love this story brother.
July 19 at 6:52pm · Like
Nancy Huggins Peters who was IB Huggins, do you remember+
July 19 at 7:06pm · Like

Special thanks to Nancy Huggins Peters for adding to the Bonifay blog with these photos!!




Eugene & Clinton








Rose Haley



Aunt Kathleen

Bonifay Family Page reaches 10,081 hits!

I am so happy to know the history of our family is carried on!

I will continue to post updates thanks so much for stopping in!

Clinton next to Earl on horse.

Clinton Eugene Bonifay died Saturday Dec. 29th, 2oo7

HELPFUL HINT : To the left is a list of recent posts. Instead of scrolling down the page - you can click on each post and the page will open to that section.

This is getting big !!

Obits found online from Escambia Records Dept.



Bonifay, Manuel
1787 - Jun 10, 1827
Press Gazette, Aug. 3, 1827
Obituary The following is a translation of the French article, on the death of Mr. Emanuel Bonifay, communicated for our last.
Blessed are they whom God calls to himself. Let us in humiliation bend before his decrees; but, although religion commands resignation to his Divine Providence, let it not be supposed that to express our sorrow is a revolt against Him who loves and who chastises.
Ancient Inhabitants of Pensacola, in less than fifteen days two of your most respectable citizens have, by the inexorable hand of untimely death, been removed from you. From their birth these two men had been known, they were cherished, by you; and tears are now the only acceptable tribute that can be paid to their memories. To add to the Eulogy, which has been so ably drawn of Col. Noriega, will not here be pretended: his friends, and they are numerous, have but one consolation; it is that the family which he left in this transient world, are amply provided with all earthly comforts.
Emanuel Bonifay, whom we have just laid in his tomb, was the father of eleven children, but one of whom has attained the age of manhood, and the youngest shall never behold the author of his existence. His Consort is one of those who fulfill their duties, not because they consider them as incumbent obligations, but because there is a satisfaction in them, and their accomplishment produces happiness. He who unites his existence to such a companion shows that he deserved her. For her is there a period to an overwhelming grief? Yes: when she rises to the mansion of the Blessed, there she will meet the soul of the companion she preferred in her youth, whom she exclusively cherished, and to whom she will again present herself adorned with a robe of spotless purity.
And the Mother of our departed friend, whose age exceeds threescore and ten, and who has been the origin of the most numerous, and one of the most respectable, families in the county, where can her consolation but In Heaven--nothing on Earth can sooth her, who delighted in saying "my son Emanuel was always wise". She a hundred times repeated to me "scarcely, even in early youth, have I had any occasion to reprove him, Emanuel was always fond of active occupations, he always avoided the haunts of dissipation, despised gambling, and never, no never caused me to blush at seeing him intoxicated. Pure he led his beloved to the Hymenial alter, pure he has lived with her." "Such is" added she, "the example that he has set before his numerous family, I hope they will never depart from it." This picture, drawn by a tender but enlightened mother, is not the recital of the triumphs of a hero; it does not offer to the Public the brilliant achievements of a man who is to hold a rank in history; -- it only portrays a practical philosopher, and were the world inhabited but by such unassuming beings, the Poets, truly, would have no great man to present to our admiration, but we should all be happy! A victim to his zeal for his family, whom he supported by constant labor; his courage surpassed his strength; the limits of the latter put an end to his existence. Like a prudent man, who fears not his last moment, but prepares himself for it, Emanuel Bonifay settled all his affairs but a short time before his death -- an example in all worthy of imitation is the estate he has bequeathed. All his debts are due to one man, who would not pardon me if I named him; the Public call him "the honest man whose integrity is known."
Oh God! thou whose judgments are impenetrable; thou hast been pleased to cause the rod of affliction to fall heavily upon a wife, eleven children, an aged mother, devoted relations, sincere friends. Graciously receive our submission; grant our prayers for him whom, we humbly hope, has been called to the enjoyment of Thyself.

Bonifay, Marianna Pingrow
1765 - Sep 12, 1829
Pensacola Gazette, Sept. 15, 1829 DIED On Saturday night, Mrs. Mariane Bonifay, aged 79 years.

Bonifay, Joseph Francis
Abt 1861 - Mar 24, 1891
The Daily News - Mar. 26, 1891
NOTE AND COMMENT Funeral of Frank Bonifay.
Frank Bonifay, the young man who was fatally injured on the Norwegian bark Gaspee Tuesday afternoon, died at 11 o'clock that night. His wife and children reached him before he died, but he was unconscious to the last.
He was buried at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, from St. Michael's (Catholic) church. The interment was made in St. Michael's cemetery. The remains were accompanied to the grave by a large number of friends and relatives, the members of Stevedore's Benevolent Association No. 1 attending in a body.

Bonifay, George Eubanks
Feb 1848 - Feb 5, 1907
Pensacola Journal, Thurs., February 7, 1907
Funeral of Geo. U. Bonifay Remains of Prominent Citizen Placed at Rest Yesterday.
The remains of George U. Bonifay, who expired at his home on West Gregory street Tuesday morning, were placed at rest yesterday afternoon in St. Michael's cemetery.
The funeral cortege moved from the family home at 3 o'clock and proceeded to St. Michael's church, where the services were conducted. A large concourse of sorrowing friends and relatives were present to pay their respects to the deceased and followed the remains to the cemetery, where they were placed at rest. The floral designs were numerous and beautiful.
During the hour of the services the office of Hooton & Watson, where the deceased was formerly employed, was closed.

Bonifay, Inez Marie (Maher)
Oct 4, 1895 - Sep 24, 1976
a Pensacola Newspaper, Sep 26, 1976

Inez Mather Bonifay, widow of the late Eugene C. Bonifay, founder of the Bonifay Oil Company, died Friday night in a local hospital. She was 81.
Mrs. Bonifay, 2911 East Jackson Street, was a life-long resident of Pensacola and was amoung the original group that built the East Pensacola Heights Community Center.
Her sons were the first water skiers on Bayou Texar and started a family tradition that continues today: three of her granddaughters are members of the water ski show at Cypress Gardens and one of her sons now runs a ski business in Pensacola.
In her childhood years, Mrs. Bonifay was a frequent patron of the old Pensacola Opera House and served as background musician for silent movies.
During World War II, when four of her sons and three of her sons-in-law were serving with the military, she housed young servicemen in her home and worked with the American Red Cross in delivering death messages to families in the Pensacola area.
In 1952, she and her husband become one of the first families to move to the East Pensacola Heights section of town and started the Bonifay riding Academy.
In 1930 her husband started the Bonifay Oil Company and she and her daughters helped in the business by taking orders.
She and her husband had seven children - Pat Bonifay, E. F. Bonifay, Marion Gomez, Earl Bonifay, Nane Kell, Harry Bonifay and Catherine Eubanks.
Survivors include one sister, Kathleen Keaton of Denver, Colorado; 32 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.
A Rosary will be recited Sunday at 7 p.m in the Fisher -Pou Funeral Service Chapel.
Funeral services will be held Monday at 10 a.m. in St. Paul Catholic Church with the Rev. George Sindix presiding at a requiem Mass.
Burial will be in Bayview Memorial Park with Fisher-Pou Funeral Service directing.
Active pallbearers will be Barry Bonifay, Larry Bonifay, Pete Bonifay, Randy Eubanks, G. C. Eubanks, Clinton, Bonifay, Billy Ray Loftin and Pat Bonifay.
Honorary pallbearers will be grandsons.

Bonifay, Patrick P. Oct 5, 1914 - Nov 11, 1975

Pensacola Journal, Tues., Nov 11, 1975 Mr. Patrick P. Bonifay, 61, 3102 E. Blount Street died Sunday afternoon in a local hospital. Mr. Bonifay was a native and life long resident of Pensacola. He was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church, a retired civil service employee and a veteran of World War II. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Evelyn E. Bonifay, Pensacola; four daughters, Mrs. Carolyn A. Sasport, New York; Mrs. Marilyn Mayton, Pensacola, Mrs. Gwenlyn Ward, West Virginia and Mrs. Saralyn Jeffries, Pensacola; six sons, Patrick "Pat" Bonifay, Jr., Ronney Bonifay, Frank Bonifay, Roger Bonifay and James Bonifay all of Pensacola and Ira Bonifay, Germany; two sisters, Mrs. Guy Eubank of Gulf Breeze and Mrs. Clarence Kell, of Pensacola; three brothers, Harry Bonifay, E. F. Bonifay and Earl Bonifay, all of Pensacola; his mother Mrs. Inez Bonifay, Pensacola and seven grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. Funeral services will be 9:45 a.m. Wednesday in St. Paul Catholic Church with Rev. George Sineik saying mass. Rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Fisher-Pou Chapel. Pallbearers will be Timothy Bonifay, Eldon Stone, Gene White, Pete Murphy, Barry Bonifay and Raymond Coe. Burial will be in Barrancas National Cemetery with military honors at the grave.

Bonifay, Timothy Allen

May 5, 1951 - Jun 6, 1979 --- Pensacola Newspaper, Jun 1979.

Timothy Allen Bonifay, 28, of 1004 Bayou Blvd., died Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Bonifay, a native and lifelong resident of Pensacola, was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church. He graduated in 1970 from Catholic High School and had been an active participant in Northwest Florida ski competition for many years. He was the owner of Iron Works Unlimited. Survivors include his wife. Roxanne Spivey Bonifay of Pensacola, a daughter, Rachael Ann Bonifay of Pensacola, a son Timothy A. Bonifay of Pensacola; his father and step-mother, Earl P. and Claudia B. Bonifay of Pensacola; his mother, Virginia Bonifay Doyle of Pensacola; two sisters, Ginger B. Harris of Pensacola and Kacy B. Richards of Winter Haven; a stepsister, Tally Beard of Pensacola; two brothers, E. Peter Bonifay, Jr. of Winter Haven and Paul A. Bonifay of Pensacola; two stepbrothers, Samuel Beard and David Beard both of Pensacola; and his maternal grandmother, Mineola Long of Pensacola. Honorary pallbearers: Clinton E. Bonifay, Mark S. Bonifay, Reed Bonifay, Bary Bonifay, Larry Bonifay, and Stuart Bonifay. Active pallbearers: Joseph P. Creary, Jr., Samuel E. Hudgens, III, Guy Shaw, Jr., Donald A. Martin, Wyatt Golson, III and Richard H. Fannell.

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Select either "other" or "anonymous". If you choose anonymous then you can just sign your name at the end of your comment. If you choose "other" it will allow you to enter your name. Last, just click on Publish and Post and your new comment will appear in the blog. I sure hope this will be easy for you once you get the hang of it!

1950

MESSAGE TO THE FAMILY :

Do you know who these people are? Can you guess what year the pictures may of been taken in?

I need your help with the names for the many faces. If you will please leave a comment on the blog I will add your information to the photos. It is very easy and you don't have to sign up for anything to leave your info.

Enjoy the collection, it's growing every day!

Moriah

Eubanks
Margaret with Twins Barry and Larry

Cora Kell Clarence in Navy uniform.

Young Nana

Cacky at the beach with Ginny to the side. And, Ginny in the yard.

Cacky and Marion

Kathleen Maher age 4.

Clifford Keaton and Kathleen Maher wedding photo.

Earl Bonifay on horse with Clinton age ? Cacky with horse.