Bonnie Richardson White

SCARBOROUGH – Bonnie Richardson White, 87, of Hobe Sound, Fla., passed away peacefully on June 16, 2025, at her home in Scarborough, surrounded by her three children.

Born on Jan. 17, 1938, in New York City, N.Y. to Imogen Earp Richardson and William E. Donnell, Bonnie was raised in Palm Beach, Fla., by her mother and beloved stepfather, Henry F. Richardson. She attended the Emma Willard School and graduated from Radcliffe College, where she met her future husband, Ogden White Jr., whom she married soon after. They shared 62 years together.

In earlier years, Bonnie and Ogden raised their family in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass.; Locust Valley, N.Y.; and Brookline, Mass., where they cultivated lifelong friendships in each community. In recent years, they spent winters on Jupiter Island, Fla., and summers by the sea in Prouts Neck, surrounded by friends, children, and grandchildren.

Bonnie had a lifelong love for the ocean. As a young girl in Florida, she was a Florida and regional champion diver, and an accomplished swimmer. Even in her 80s, she continued to swim laps regularly and was known for her graceful freestyle stroke. She enjoyed her final ocean swim in May, just before returning to Maine for the summer.

Bonnie expressed her love of nature through art. In her later years, she became an accomplished acrylic painter, often depicting skies, ocean scenes, and portraits of her grandchildren. She was a talented flower arranger, drawing inspiration from the gardens she tended wherever she lived.

Bonnie worked as a realtor in the Boston area and later co-owned a gift shop in Prouts Neck. She brought energy and joy to a wide range of activities. She sang in choirs, performed in local musicals, and took up tap dancing in her 70s and 80s – participating in costumed performances with her signature smile and grace. She was a dedicated supporter of the Boys and Girls Club of Martin County and the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, where she and Ogden were honored for their leadership and service.

Bonnie had a quiet, deep faith. She sang in the choir at Bethesda-by-the-Sea as a girl and remained active in church life, including Bible studies and Altar Guild service. In her final weeks, she expressed peace and a readiness to die, believing she would be embraced by divine love.

Above all, Bonnie cherished time with her family and her beloved dogs, Chloe and Winnie. Whether walking on the beach, dancing with her grandchildren, or hosting extended family visits, she radiated warmth, devotion, and joy.

She is lovingly remembered by her children and their spouses: Jennifer White Walsh (Peter) of New Canaan, Conn., Ogden White III (Elizabeth) of Boston, Mass., and Cynthia White Day (Chris) of Canaan, N.H. Also surviving her are her 10 grandchildren, Samuel (Cecily), Benjamin (Frances Robinson), Olivia, Augustine, and Phineas Walsh, Katherine and Caroline White, and Charles (fiancé, Lauren Lee), Henry, and Phoebe Day. She is also survived by her beloved siblings, William E. Richardson and Gene R. Wilmer; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on June 29, at 4 p.m., at St. James Church in Prouts Neck. Bonnie will be interred alongside Ogden at both St. James Church and Christ Memorial Chapel in Hobe Sound.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bonnie’s memory to the Boys and Girls Club of Martin County, Fla.