Bonita "Bonnie" Jean Harris Smith
January 21, 2023
A loving mother and adoring grandmother, Bonita “Bonnie” Jean Harris Smith of Charlotte, North
Carolina, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. She was 75.
Bonnie was born on Oct. 30, 1947, to Beryle “Dale” and Marion Harris in Janesville, WI. She went
to college in Milwaukee and then began a career in interior design. She soon met her future husband,
O. Bruton Smith, in Rockford, Ill. while shopping for a new car. The two married and started a
family there before moving to Charlotte, NC in 1978.
Bonnie loved her family, friends and sharing her faith journey with others. Tuesday night family
dinners were one of her favorite times and she loved to entertain and play hostess. Bonnie loved
teaching others from her own life experiences, and she was an expert at Scrabble and trivia games.
Tennis and golf were among her favorite activities in her younger days.
As she grew older, Bonnie became passionate about breeding horses and shared that love with her
daughter, Anna Lisa. The two traveled the world with horses and Bonnie became accomplished at
breeding Holsteiners, a German breed renowned for horse-jumping competitions. Bonnie became an
expert in the field, often sought out for her insights on the animals.
Following the tragic death of their six-month-old son in 1980, Bruton and Bonnie founded Speedway
Children's Charities as a memoriam and legacy to their son, Bruton Cameron Smith. Since inception,
Speedway Children!s Charities has distributed more than $65 million nationwide to local nonprofits
dedicated to improving the quality of life for children in desperate conditions.
Bonnie was a believer in Jesus Christ and her family takes great comfort knowing that she is now in
Heaven. Survivors include sons Scott, Marcus and David; her daughter, Anna Lisa; and seven
grandchildren; a brother, Jack Harris.
A public funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at Central Church's
Charlotte campus, located at 5301 Sardis Road. Guests are asked to be seated by 12:30 p.m. A private
burial with the family will follow. The service will be live streamed on Speedway Children's Charities youtube.com
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Speedway Children's Charities at
www.speedwaycharities.org.
Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley
Ave., Charlotte, NC; 28204 (704) 641-7606. Online condolences can be shared at
www.kennethpoeservices.com.
Comments
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Marcus, Scott, David, and Anna Lisa…heartfelt condolences on the loss of your Mom. It was a deep honor to have met her. She was a beautiful spirit who loved her family without measure. The gift of Speedway Children’s Charities is an incredible legacy that will live on in her memory. It was born out of tragedy, but it does so much good for so many. You must be so proud of her life‘s work. I pray for healing of spirit for your entire family. May her memory be for a blessing.
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Bonnie was beautiful both on the inside and the outside. She was a most gracious hostess when we visited. I'm proud to have called her Cousin.
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