Foxborough Resident Phillip G. Bonin Dies at 69; Runner of 3 Boston Marathons

Phillip George Bonin, 69, of Foxborough and formerly of Byfield, Lynn and Salem, passed away Thursday, March 21, 2013 at his South Street home after a period of declining health surrounded by the love and comfort of his wife and children, and his brother Tom.

He was born in Lynn on Aug. 14, 1943, the son of the late Honore L. and Claire Y. (Bonnevie) Bonin. He graduated from Haverhill High and Trade School and attended UMass Boston; he was a machinist by trade. In 1962 he joined the Marine Corps Reserve and served until 1968.

He followed his trade at Sylvania in Salem and Beverly Pattern Co. and later Frank M. Hill Machine in Walpole. In 1972 Phil became a Corrections Officer and the family moved from Salem to Foxborough. He worked at MCI Norfolk then Bay State Correctional Center where he received the 1987 Beyond Excellence Award for exemplary performance, attained the rank of Captain, then retired after nearly 25 years.

During his retirement he was a substitute school bus driver for Foxborough and was known affectionately by the children as “Mr. B.”

He is survived by his wife Emelie (Julien) Bonin, whom he married on Nov. 4, 1967 in Salem, and their three children, Stephen of Foxborough and his fiancée Cheryl Payne of Wrentham, Noelle and her husband Santo (Sam) Dettore, Jr. of Westford, and Daniel and his wife Pamela of North Easton. Five grandchildren miss him: Brian and Andrew Bonczek of Westford, Tyler Bonin of Foxborough and Hopedale, and Hope and Haley Bonin of North Easton.

He is also survived by one step-grandson, Santo Dettore III of Boston and his Godchild, Kristy Bonin of Lynn.

Phillip was the fifth of 13 children. He was predeceased by two brothers, Paul and Louis and brothers-in-law John Escott and James Bradley, his best friend. He is survived by Peter of the Philippines, Anne-Marie of Concord, MA, Jeanne Bradley of Intervale, N.H., Emilie and her husband Leo Smyrlian of Nashua, N.H., Cecile and her husband Robert Zielinski of Groveland, Thomas and his wife Cheryl of Lynn, Marie Escott and her husband John Folan of Cottonwood, Arizona, Alice and her husband Nicholas Samatis of Lake Wales, Florida, Rev. Raymond Bonin of Derry, N.H. and Jacqueline and her husband Robert Gulezian of Haverhill as well as several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was a self-proclaimed “Golf Nut” and enjoyed decades of rounds with family and friends at Heather Hill, Stone-E-Lea and other local courses. He earned a low score of 73 at Heather Hill in 1992 and his one and only hole-in-one at the Bradford Country Club in Haverhill on April 25, 1999.

Though not an avid runner, Phil did complete three Boston Marathons, each one accompanied by one of his children. In the last one, at age 56, he broke four hours.

Together with his “bride” he restored two houses on South Street in Foxborough: their family homestead and their retirement home, the former Carpenter-Witschi house for which they received the Massachusetts Historical Commission 1991 Preservation Award and the Foxborough Historical Commission 2001 Historic Restoration Award.