Reuben A. Bonifield 73, Route 3, West Frankfort, former operator of the largest trucking company in Southern Illinois and a leader in community, area and state activities, died at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 16, 1981, in Union Hospital at West Frankfort. He and two brothers, Fred and Alfred, formed the Bonifield Brothers Truck Lines Inc. in 1941. The firm bought out three other companies and at its peak carried 35 million pounds of freight monthly, served 300 towns in four states and had operating revenue of more than $4 million annually. The firm had terminals in West Frankfort, St. Louis, Chicago, Evansville, Metropolis and Paducah. Mr. Bonifield served as president of the West Frankfort Chamber of Commerce. He was a founder and president of the West Frankfort Community Council, a group which raised funds used to attract industry to the city. He was president of Southern Illinois Inc. and was named by SII in 1979 as the Goffrey Hughes Southern Illinois Citizen of the Year, Mr. Bonifield served as president of the Frankfort Community High Scliool Board of Education for 12 of his 15 years on the board. He was a leader in establishing a unit district in 1969, helped establish a special education program and a student camping progrm. He served two terms as president of the Egyptian Division of the Illinois School Board Association and R. A. Bonifield in 1964 was named Southern Illinois School Board member of the year by the Educational Council of 100. Mr. Bonifield was named by Gov. William Stratton in 1957 as an original member of the State Scholarship Commission, which administered funds to aid needy students from Illinois, Southern Illinois University-Car bondale selected him to serve on the SIU Foundation Board, the Bench-warmers Club, the Council of 1,000, the Saver Club and the personnel management committee. Mr. Bonifield served on the board and was treasurer for the Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission. He was one of the trustees of the original organization of the Rend Lake Conservancy District. He was chairman of the board of deacons of the First Baptist Church , for seven years and worked for the' Egyptian Council of Boy Scouts. He was a president and charter board member of the First Community Bank of West Frankfort He was born March 14, 1908, in Massac County to Thaddous and Emiline Bonifield. He married Mary Willis Aug. 18, 1929, in BrookporL Mr. Bonifield was a clerk in a country store near Metropolis after graduation from high school and became manager of the Ohio Valley store in Vienna. He became a salesman for Swift Meats in Carmi and West Frankfort before forming the trucking line.
Survivors are his wife; a daughter, Joyce Lucas of West Frankfort; a sister, Golda Lukens of Herrin; and four grandchildren.
His parents and brothers, C. W., Alfred and Fred, preceded him in death.
Services at the First Baptist Church. Burial in the Tower Heights Cemetery, Parker-Reedy Funeral Home of West Frankfort in charge.
Southern Illinoisan Carbondale, Illinois 17 Jul 1981, Fri • Page 17
Survivors are his wife; a daughter, Joyce Lucas of West Frankfort; a sister, Golda Lukens of Herrin; and four grandchildren.
His parents and brothers, C. W., Alfred and Fred, preceded him in death.
Services at the First Baptist Church. Burial in the Tower Heights Cemetery, Parker-Reedy Funeral Home of West Frankfort in charge.
Southern Illinoisan Carbondale, Illinois 17 Jul 1981, Fri • Page 17
Reuben A. Bonifield 73, Route 3, West Frankfort, former operator of the largest trucking company in Southern Illinois and a leader in community, area and state activities, died at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 16, 1981, in Union Hospital at West Frankfort. He and two brothers, Fred and Alfred, formed the Bonifield Brothers Truck Lines Inc. in 1941. The firm bought out three other companies and at its peak carried 35 million pounds of freight monthly, served 300 towns in four states and had operating revenue of more than $4 million annually. The firm had terminals in West Frankfort, St. Louis, Chicago, Evansville, Metropolis and Paducah. Mr. Bonifield served as president of the West Frankfort Chamber of Commerce. He was a founder and president of the West Frankfort Community Council, a group which raised funds used to attract industry to the city. He was president of Southern Illinois Inc. and was named by SII in 1979 as the Goffrey Hughes Southern Illinois Citizen of the Year, Mr. Bonifield served as president of the Frankfort Community High Scliool Board of Education for 12 of his 15 years on the board. He was a leader in establishing a unit district in 1969, helped establish a special education program and a student camping progrm. He served two terms as president of the Egyptian Division of the Illinois School Board Association and R. A. Bonifield in 1964 was named Southern Illinois School Board member of the year by the Educational Council of 100. Mr. Bonifield was named by Gov. William Stratton in 1957 as an original member of the State Scholarship Commission, which administered funds to aid needy students from Illinois, Southern Illinois University-Car bondale selected him to serve on the SIU Foundation Board, the Bench-warmers Club, the Council of 1,000, the Saver Club and the personnel management committee. Mr. Bonifield served on the board and was treasurer for the Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission. He was one of the trustees of the original organization of the Rend Lake Conservancy District. He was chairman of the board of deacons of the First Baptist Church , for seven years and worked for the' Egyptian Council of Boy Scouts. He was a president and charter board member of the First Community Bank of West Frankfort He was born March 14, 1908, in Massac County to Thaddous and Emiline Bonifield. He married Mary Willis Aug. 18, 1929, in BrookporL Mr. Bonifield was a clerk in a country store near Metropolis after graduation from high school and became manager of the Ohio Valley store in Vienna. He became a salesman for Swift Meats in Carmi and West Frankfort before forming the trucking line.
Survivors are his wife; a daughter, Joyce Lucas of West Frankfort; a sister, Golda Lukens of Herrin; and four grandchildren.
His parents and brothers, C. W., Alfred and Fred, preceded him in death.
Services at the First Baptist Church. Burial in the Tower Heights Cemetery, Parker-Reedy Funeral Home of West Frankfort in charge.
Southern Illinoisan Carbondale, Illinois 17 Jul 1981, Fri • Page 17
Survivors are his wife; a daughter, Joyce Lucas of West Frankfort; a sister, Golda Lukens of Herrin; and four grandchildren.
His parents and brothers, C. W., Alfred and Fred, preceded him in death.
Services at the First Baptist Church. Burial in the Tower Heights Cemetery, Parker-Reedy Funeral Home of West Frankfort in charge.
Southern Illinoisan Carbondale, Illinois 17 Jul 1981, Fri • Page 17
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