Bonnie June Conkle

Bonnie June Conkle, born Aug. 4, 1937, passed away March 31, 2012.

 

Bonnie was a native Phoenician and attended Madison School No. 1 and North Phoenix High School. She married her high school sweetheart, Jerry Mautz, in 1956 and had two children.

 

Divorced from Jerry Mautz in the 1970s, Bonnie forged a life for herself and her children. She opened a charm school, teaching young girls modeling, fashion and social graces. She was a local modeling talent herself both in fashion and on television. In the 1980s, she opened the Daisy Patch dress boutique in, at that time, the prominent Caravan Inn on East Van Buren Street.

 

She met and married Norm Conkle, a longtime noted Phoenix businessman and prominent member in many community organizations including the Phoenix Thunderbirds. As a couple, they were socially prominent, involved in many charitable organizations.

 

She was an astute businesswoman and expanded her boutique to additional stores, the Wild Daisy and Tres Arcos. She was a pioneer in recognizing a niche market and focused her business acumen on the emerging Sun City market. Her dress shop in Sun City, Tres Arcos, catered to the retired woman's needs and was like a miniature department store.

 

Bonnie divorced Norm Conkle in mid 1980s, but they remained good friends until his death in 1997.

 

During her lifetime, her first and dedicated priority was her children. Her son and daughter were the constant light in her life. She continued to be involved in her community, both in charitable organizations and socially.

 

Bonnie dearly loved parties and was renowned in the Valley for hosting some of the most extravagant events at the ranch house she and Norm resided in on Maryland and 20th Street. It was one-of-a-kind ranch house, complete with horse corrals right in the heart of North Central Phoenix. Norm generally greeted guests on horseback and huge fire pits were smoking with good ole Southwestern barbecue. There are many people in Phoenix who will always remember her parties with great fondness.

 

Bonnie loved Arizona with deep commitment. To her, it was God's gift to mankind to be able to live in Arizona.

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