Bonnie Riley

Nelson, NH Bonnie Allen Riley, 100, of Nelson died on November 27, 2016 at Cheshire Medical Center with her loving family by her side. Bonnie was born on June 10, 1916 the daughter of William Linton Allen and Anna Mary (McCann) Allen. Bonnie grew up outside of Scranton, PA and spent happy summers at her family's cabin on the Susquehanna. She received a Bachelor's in English from Bryn Mawr in 1938. While in college she studied dance, which became her lifelong passion. After graduating she studied for a summer at the Duncan School of Dance in Munich, Germany and for the next eighteen years she taught dance at the Chapin School in Manhattan. In 1950 Bonnie founded her own summer dancing school on the campus of the Dublin School, which she ran for 6 years. She continued her education by earning a Masters from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1957 and went on to have a storied career as a teacher of English at Newton South High School in Newton, MA, Ibadan, Nigeria, Monadnock Regional High School, and then at Dublin School until retiring in 1981. Ever the teacher, during her retirement, Bonnie became a volunteer teacher at the Cheshire County Jail (GED and Shakespeare!), and taught in the Conval Adult Education program out of which grew the "Tuesday Academy" and later, the "Wednesday Academy," women's study groups that undertake in depth reading and discussion of literature, history, and current events. Bonnie is survived by her loving husband of 44 years, William Allen Riley of Nelson, her stepsons, George Riley and Matthew Riley both of VA, and her grandchildren Peter, Anna, Christopher, Sarah, and James, and her many grateful godchildren. A celebration of Bonnie's life will be held on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at 1:00 PM at the Nelson Congregational Church, 830 Nelson Road, Nelson. Pastor Dawn Garrett-Larsen and The Rev. Peter Floyd will officiate. A reception and contra dance will follow the service at the Nelson Town Hall, 7 Nelson Common Road, Nelson. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that donations be made in Bonnie's name to the Equal Access fund at the Nelson Congregational Church. For information contact nelsonchurchucc@gmail.com.

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