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From: John Swett (Front Royal, VA)
Category: Colleagues
Date: 05 Sep 2005
Time: 07:53:16 -0500
Remote Name: 69.149.208.218
My condolences Dr. and Mrs. Kessel and family. I knew Bonni when she began her career and spent many lunch hours and special appointments, over the years, discussing her career, Federal benefits, financial issues and retirement planning with her. Early on, when she first faced her illness, she would contact me and discuss her Federal benefits. Her mind always turned to making sure she had all of her Federal benefit papers in order. As she approached retirement and was actually doing quite well health-wise we discussed when it was the best time for her to retire and begin the next chapter of her life. I would add, which you may know from experience, Bonni never accepted a response or advice without asking if I was sure that the answer I was giving was correct. This trait is one that all who worked with her and for her over the years knew well. She was one tough worker and supervisor, who always went the extra mile to not only complete her assignments but treat everyone she was involved with in a fair and honorable manner. Even after she retired she made a point to contact me and let me know how she was doing with her new job and how retirement was working. She was always a person I looked up to as a great friend and knew her to be a great leader in law enforcement. I will miss her phone calls and questions greatly but most of all I will miss Bonni,my friend. Bonni and I had this personal joke that when she passed away, I was sure God would have a spot for her as the first female Director of Security for Heaven. She always laughed at the joke but I choose to remember her in that way, dressed in her gray pant suit, with her badge on her belt, waiting for her family and friends at the gates of heaven.