Obituary of Daniel V. Bonavita

Daniel V. Bonavita, Sr., age 89 of Whitehouse Station, NJ, died Sunday, June 7, 2015 at the Abington Manor in Easton, PA where he had been residing for the last 3 years. Born in Nanticoke, PA, he was the son of the late Joseph and Maria (Gaudiosi) Bonavita. Dan grew up in Nanticoke and lived in Pine Hill, NJ for a year before moving to Whitehouse Station in 1955. Dan was a Navy Veteran of WWII and served as a medical corpsman in the Pacific Theater. He taught school for 36 years before retiring in 1989. He first taught 7th and 8th grade in Whitehouse School. He then moved to the Readington Middle School where he taught 5th and 6th graders. He was a beloved teacher and still kept in contact with many of his students. He followed many of his former students and then their children through high school sports. He was also his grandchildren's number one fan when it came to all of their sporting events. Dan had also coached in the East Hunterdon Little League. He was an avid golfer and belonged to the Fairway Valley Golf Club in Washington and he enjoyed gardening. He also did volunteer work at the Hunterdon Medical Center. Danny was also known to purchase a ticket or two in the New Jersey Lottery. He was predeceased by his wife, Helen L. Bonavita who died in 1998, and his brothers, Albert, Rocco, Michael, and sister, Mary. Dan is survived by his son, Daniel V. Bonavita, Jr. and his wife, Annmarie of Union Twp., and his daughter, Donna M. Zaugg and her husband, Richard of Clinton Twp. He is also survived by his sister, Lucy Cardone and his four amazing grandchildren, Timothy and Laura Zaugg and Michael and Matthew Bonavita. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Thursday, June 11, 2015 at 9:30 am at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Whitehouse Station. Friends may visit with the family on Wednesday, from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Kearns Funeral Home, 103 Old Highway 28, Whitehouse. Entombment will be in St. Bernard Cemetery, Bridgewater. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Whitehouse Rescue Squad, PO Box 175, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889 or Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 390 Route 523, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889.