Bonita Ades
October 17, 1941 - January 15, 2026
What a flight it was!
Bonita Ades lived a life that soared… literally and figuratively. From her first day as a United Airlines flight attendant in 1962, stepping aboard a gleaming DC-8, to her final years filled with family and the memories of a globe well-traveled, Bonita embraced every adventure with enthusiasm and an open heart.
Born in Beatrice, Nebraska, and raised between Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Redwood City, California (Sequoia High School, Class of ‘59), Bonita found
her true home at 30,000 feet. For 42 years, she didn’t just fly, she inspired others to fly, earning her own pilot’s license and becoming the Chair of the Colorado chapter of the 99s and then on to Governor of the South Central Section of the 99s, that legendary band of women pilots founded by Amelia Earhart herself. She judged air races, mentored young pilots through NIFA, served as president of the Colorado Chapter of Clipped Wings, and, through Flight Without Fear, helped hundreds of anxious travelers discover that flying could be joyful.
Bonita’s friendly spirit was legendary. She’d talk to anyone and everyone, strangers became immediate friends in airport terminals, on walkways, during the flights she worked, in the Korean and Hong Kong markets where she loved to shop, or over incredible meals in Japan. She explored Nepal and Dubai with her friends, always returning with stories and that infectious excitement about the world’s wonders. Even after retiring from United, she couldn’t stay away from aviation, volunteering as an Ambassador at Denver International Airport to help lost travelers find their gates, and working tirelessly to preserve the history of United Airlines at the United Airlines Historical Foundation, by preserving and cataloguing years of donated airline memorabilia.
Home meant her beloved Yellow Lab Woody, her three grandchildren who filled her with pride, and 58 wonderful years with her husband Jon. She was the mom who made sure her kids knew the thrill of travel and new experiences, the grandmother who lit up around Roman, Ryan, and Violet, and the friend who remembered you and checked in.
Alzheimer’s stole the last 18 months of Bonita’s vibrant life, silencing someone who had never been at a loss for words or warmth. But that disease couldn’t erase 84 years of laughter, adventure, kindness, and love. Those who knew Bonita remember her as she truly was, a woman who lived fully, loved generously, and inspired everyone fortunate enough to cross her path.
Bonita passed peacefully on January 15, 2026, with her loved ones close by. She leaves behind her husband Jon, son Aaron (Wake Forest, NC), daughter Rebecca (Littleton, CO), grandchildren Roman, Ryan, and Violet, and brother Eldon (Oroville, CA).
We’ll gather to celebrate Bonita’s remarkable life at a date to be announced.
Rather than flowers, Bonita would have loved donations to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, where hundreds of rescued magnificent animals roam free across thousands of Colorado acres… a perfect tribute to someone who believed in freedom, second chances, and living wild and wonderful.
Donations
Photos of Bonita
