Gerald "Jerry" Ernest Bonini, 84, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, formerly of Racine, Wisconsin, died at Hospice House on Saturday, June 27, 2026.

He was born in Racine, Wisconsin, on October 18, 1941, the son of the late Ernest Francis and Emma Frances (née Lucarelli) Bonini. Mr. Bonini was raised in Racine, Wisconsin and attended Holy Trinity Elementary School. He lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1954 to 1963 while attending De Sales Preparatory School and St. Francis Seminary, where he received his B.A. degree in Philosophy, and then lived in Chicago, Illinois from 1964 to 1965 while attending Loyola University graduate school, where he was employed as a teaching assistant to undergraduate students and from which he earned an M.A. in English.

On November 25, 1965, he married Carol Jean (née Nelson) Bonini.

He was employed as an English teacher at Bradford Senior High School from 1965 to 1978, at First National Bank of Racine from 1963 to 1971, at Kenosha National Bank (later known as First Bank Southeast and then Firstar Bank) from 1971 to 1994, and at Southport Bank from 1997 until his retirement in 2006. He began his banking career as a part-time teller and retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of Southport Bank.

He was a Kenosha Transit Commissioner from 1985 to 1991, and he served as co-chairman of the Shalom Center for the Interfaith Network from 2003 to 2008. He also served as Treasurer and President of the Somers Estates Condominium Owners Association from 2009 to 2015, and again from 2018 until 2020. He was also proud of his membership in the Blood Center, having contributed more than one hundred pints of blood to those in medical need. In addition, he served on numerous church, education, and banking committees and commissions. His other interests included family genealogy, reading, puzzle solving, cooking, and photography.

He is survived by his wife, Carol, and three children: Ann Marie (Phillip Edward) Lambert of Fort Worth, Texas;  Karen Lynn (Mark Anthony) Fetherston of Racine, Wisconsin; and Anthony Mark Bonini (Tracy Bynum) of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Also surviving are five grandchildren: Joseph Brian Lambert, K'Lynn Mackenzie Lambert and Cassidy Grace Lambert, as well as Stuart Cameron Fetherston and Nathan Emerson Fetherston. He is also survived by his sister, Theresa Rose (Donald Roy) Carey; brother-in-law, Paul Edward Nelson; and two sisters-in-law, Jane Ann Norbin and Mary Ellen Goldsworthy. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest Francis and Emma Frances Bonini; his sister, Carol Ann Bonini Neufeld; his brother-in-law, John Franz Neufeld; his in-laws, Norman Herbert Nelson and Margaret Jean (née Phillips) Nelson; his brother-in-law, Jack Merrill Goldsworthy; his sister-in-law, Teresa Ann Nelson; and his brother-in-law, Donald Joseph Norbin.

Inurnment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice Alliance (10220 Prairie Ridge Blvd., Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158, https://www.hospicealliance.org or Shalom Center (4314 39th Ave., Kenosha,  WI 53144, https://www.shalomcenter.org/donate and are greatly appreciated.