Mary H. Boni

MARY H. BONI, age 67, of Bel Air, died at her home on August 23, 2005. Born November 27, 1937 in St. Cloud, Minnesota, she was the fourth of five children of Joseph R. and Angeline D. Jueneman Helterline and the wife for 40 years of the late loving and devoted husband, David R. Boni.
In 1958, she graduated from St. Cloud State College and began a 45 year teaching career in the fall of that year. While teaching in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota, her first teaching assignment, she met her husband, David Boni, who was a civil engineer graduate of MIT and employed by Bethlehem Steel. The couple married and moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1961 and Mrs. Boni taught there until her son was born. She ended her teaching career in Harford County after serving 22 years having taught at Homestead-Wakefield, Hickory, and Prospect Mill Elementary Schools. After retiring, she returned just about every day to Prospect Mill Elementary, volunteering to do everything from running copies to cutting out paper symbols

Mrs. Boni brought the concept of the “Patriots” program with her from a Pennsylvania school where they had a city-wide celebration for the country’s Bi-Centennial in 1976. When she arrived at Hickory Elementary School in 1978, she convinced the school administration and her fellow fifth grade teachers to begin a voluntary co-curricular program with students where they would memorize and recite ten items of American History. The vast majority of Harford Schools still use the program with their students today. For her efforts to encourage patriotism, she received county, state, and national recognition The Daughters of the American Revolution invited her to speak to them about her efforts. The Capital Historical Society invited her as Harford’s outstanding teacher-historian to its 1988 Symposium, along with similarly nominated teachers from the four-state area surrounding Washington, D.C.

Mrs. Boni was also an ardent supporter of the outdoor education program at Harford Glen. On June 24, 2004, she was inducted into the Harford County Public School Educator Hall of Fame.

Mrs. Boni was an active member of St. Margaret Catholic Church School Board and an avid reader. Her family said she was very much loved, respected, and cherished by many friends and “adopted” family.

Mrs. Boni is survived by one son, Roger Augustus Boni of Nashville, Tennessee; two brothers, David Helterline of Alexandria, Minnesota and Dan Helterline of Fountain, Michigan;
and one grandson, David Boni of Nashville. She is also survived by ten nieces and nephews to whom she was very close: Steven, Chuck, Mark, Theresa, Amy, Peggy, Paula, Peter, Paul, and Karen. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was predeceased by two sisters, Eleanor Hennemann and Joan Heckleman.

Those who desire may contribute to American Diabetes Association, Maryland Affiliate, Inc., 800 Wyman Park Drive, Suite 110, Baltimore, MD 21211.