Bonnie Blake (Barefoot) Speegle

Bonnie Blake Barefoot Speegle was born January 14, 1942 on a farm about two miles east of Dunn, NC, on the Newton Grove Highway 55, to Mamie Ellen Barefoot and Dewey Sampson Barefoot.  Her parents told her that she brought them much joy.  She is survived by her loving husband, Charles Martin Speegle, Jr. of Fayetteville.  

She attended the Dunn Schools and graduated from Dunn High School in 1959 with honors and was a member of the National Beta Club.  She received an Associate degree from Campbell College in 1961 where she was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Honor Society and was an officer with the Student Government.  In 1963, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from UNC-Chapel Hill where she was very active in the Student Education Association, Student Government, and University Chorus.  She was excited to sing with the Chorus for President John F. Kennedy when he was invited to speak at University Day in the fall of 1963.  In 1970, she received a Master of Arts in Teaching English from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Bonnie was professional educator for 30 years with the Forsyth County, Scotland County, and Cumberland County Schools from which she retired.  She was active in the NC Association of Educators and the Political Action Committee for Education in Scotland and Cumberland Counties.  Having excelled in the classroom, she was initiated into the Phi Delta Kappa Professional Fraternity for Educators and Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Honor Society for Women Educators of which she was President of the Gamma Kappa Chapter. She was also inducted into the Mentor Support Team Training Program in the Scotland County School System. She started and organized the Program for the Gifted and the Advanced Placement Program in English at Reid Ross Senior High School where she was Chairman of the English Department and School Based Committee.  She also organized the Advanced Placement Program in Language at E.E. Smith High School.

Bonnie was a member of Highland Presbyterian Church where she was an Elder, teacher of the Williams Fellowship, Bible Class, teacher of Circle #5 of the Presbyterian Women, Stephen’s Minister, member of the Chancel Choir and was given the coveted Lifetime Membership Award of the Presbyterian Women’s Organization of Highland Church.

She was active in the Col. Robert Rowan Chapter, NSDAR, where she was Regent, Program Chairman and Chaplain.  She was Chairman of the American History Committee in charge of the American History Essay Contest for many years.  She won national awards for programs, especially on the Marquis de Lafayette and the U.S. Constitution.

She was Chairman of the Board of the NC Symphony of Cumberland County, and the local chapter won the Grand Effort Award and the Gerhardt Zimmermann Cup Award for furthering the mission of the NC Symphony for excellence in growth when she was president.  She won many awards for ticket sales and was also Publicity Chairman of the local Symphony board.

She was President of the Pine Needles Garden Club in Fayetteville and was on the board of the NC Historical Society in Scotland County as well as the NC Service League of Scotland County.

She loved to read and to write poetry, and she and Charlie enjoyed travel.  They completed a course in Anglo-Saxon England at Oxford University in England and completed requirements for the Alumni Campus abroad in Normandy and Paris.  She and Charlie enjoyed their farm home on the outskirts of Dunn, NC, where she was reared, and they welcomed their friends there.

Bonnie is also survived by her sister Wilma B. Williams and brother James Dewey (Buddy) Barefoot and wife Barbara all of Dunn, NC.  She was a loving aunt to Angela and Marty Barefoot, Lauren and Stephen Goldsmith, Ashley Barefoot and Children Emma and Ethan Barefoot all of Dunn.  Nephews Paul Williams and Patrick Williams (Paula) and Logan and Dean Williams survive in Zebulon and Wendell, NC and nephew Blake Barefoot of Dunn.  Niece Hope Williams also lives in Wendell, NC.   Bonnie was lovingly loyal to her family and friends, and now she rests peacefully with no pain or sorrow forever with her heavenly Father.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 1:00 pm at Highland Presbyterian Church.  The family will receive friends following the service at the church.  A private family burial will be held at Lafayette Memorial Park.

Memorials may be made to Highland Presbyterian Church Capital Debt Reduction Fund, 111 Highland Ave. Fayetteville, NC 28305, Stoney Run Freewill Baptist Church, 12481 Harnett- Dunn Highway, Dunn, NC 28334 or Col. Robert Rowan Chapter, DAR c/o Treasurer Ginger Zuravel, 211 Woodrow St. Fayetteville, NC 28303

Arrangements entrusted to Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

Online condolences may be sent to www.jerniganwarren.com

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