Bonnie Lee Karkut

Bonnie Lee Hohenstein Karkut, passed away on Monday, January 4, 2016, the feast day of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. She was laid to rest on Friday, January 8, 2016 in the Chapel of Hope Mausoleum at Naples Memorial Gardens in Naples, Florida. The Rite of Committal was said by Fr. Robert Murphy from St. John The Evangelist Catholic Church and was witnessed only by her immediate family, as per Bonnie’s wishes.

Bonnie was born in Muskegon, Michigan to Fay Henry and Doric C. Hohenstein. She was educated in the Muskegon County School System. Bonnie represented her city as Miss Greater Muskegon in the Miss Michigan Pagent. When her father Fay Henry Hohenstein passed away she later became the step-daughter of Lawrence L. Collins, also of Muskegon, when her mother Doris was wed to Lawrence.

Bonnie was a graduate of Michigan State University where she received a B.A. degree from the school of Communication Arts and Sciences. She was a member of the Beta Rho chapter of Delta Zeta Sorority. She attended graduate school at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. She was employed as a Speech Pathologist in the Muskegon and Saginaw, MI school systems.

Bonnie married Joseph P. Karkut, D.D.S. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Muskegon, MI. They resided in Saginaw, MI. where Dr. Karkut practiced dentistry for 25 years. They raised four children in Saginaw and later moved to Florida in 1984 where they have resided full-time. Bonnie was the dental office manager and receptionist in her husband’s dental office in Naples from 1984 until his retirement in 1995. For the past eight years she has worked at Kays on the Beach clothing boutique where she managed the North Trail store for three years. She loved working for Kays and always spoke fondly of her co-workers and clients.

She was a member of the American Association of University Women, the Pan-Hellenic Alumni Society, Naples branch, and was past President of the Saginaw Dental Auxiliary. She also was a member of the Alliance to the ADA, MDA, and FDA. Bonnie was a life member of the Michigan State University Alumni and was elected to the “Who’s Who of American Women 1991-2016. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the North Bay Civic Association since its organization in 2000, and remained until 2005.

Bonnie and Joe were parishioners at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Saginaw, MI. and then members of St. Ann’s Catholic Church and St. John the Evangelist in Naples, FL.

Bonnie was a devoted wife and mother to four children. She and her husband have nine grandchildren. The family asks that friends please say prayers and propose a toast to Bonnie’s memory. She asked that God be with you all. If you wish, donations may be made in Bonnie’s name, to St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 625 111th Avenue North, Naples, Florida. Phone 239-566-8740.