‘They were just cute.’ Kansas couple killed in crash remembered for finding love again

The couple in their 80s who died in a Sedgwick County crash last week were a widow and widower when they met at the Conway Springs United Methodist Church in 2007.

“They fell in love and got married at our church,” said Judy Harper, a family friend. “He was very caring for her and she was caring for him.”

Ira “Duane” Bonebright and Betty Eileen Bonebright died Feb. 27 in a crash at K-42 and Maiz Road. A double funeral for them is planned for Thursday at the Methodist Church where they met and were later married by Betty’s sister, who was pastor of the church.

Ahead of a high school reunion in 2011, Betty chronicled the ups and downs of her life. She wrote of battling polio as a 13-year-old in Goodland, a career as an educator, losing a child to drowning during a Memorial Day outing with friends and later losing a husband on Christmas day 2002.

She also wrote about meeting Duane while visiting her sister’s church in Conway Springs, which was a little more than two hours away from her home in Ashland.

She said they went to Gambino’s Pizza after church and Duane bought lunch for her and her late sister, pastor Lorna Tovrea.

“And that’s how our courtship began,” Betty wrote. “We corresponded frequently and met monthly. (As a note of interest, Duane had lost two wives to illnesses and Lorna had performed their funerals and counseled Duane during the bereavements.)”

Duane, she wrote, was a retired U.S. Air Force veteran who grew up on a farm in South Dakota.

They married after a church service on Feb. 10, 2008.

“They just really loved each other and enjoyed each other’s company very much. They were just cute,” said Tracy Townsend, Betty’s son-in-law. “They would hold hands in church. Hold hands walking to the car. They just really cared deeply for each other.”

The Bonebrights traveled the country together, either by van or bus, and went on a cruise to the Caribbean.

“Life is good (except for our aches and pains! Ha … not funny!),” Betty wrote.

A few years ago, Betty had a stroke, which made it difficult to talk. Her childhood polio also worsened, so she had limited mobility in her left arm.

“Anything that took two hands, Dad had to do for her,” said Scott Bonebright, Duane’s son. “They were good together. They took care of each other.”

Harper, who visited the Bonebrights two days before the crash, said she thought Duane was driving Betty to an eye doctor appointment the day the accident happened.

Memorials in honor of the Bonebrights have been asked to be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project, woundedwarriorproject.org, or the United Methodist Church, 411 S. 8th, Conway Springs, KS 67031.

This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 5:23 PM.