John Cranston Bonnell

BONNELL, M.D., JOHN CRANSTON, physician and orthopaedic surgeon; b. 23 January 1929 in Hopefield, son of Henry (Harry) George Horace Bonnell and Charlotte Matilda MacEachern; m. 1957 Cathy Craig, and they had four children, Elizabeth, Mary, John, and Bill; Presbyterian; d. 31 May 1980 in Murray River. Bonnell, a Liberal, was elected to the Legislative Assembly in a by-election held 4 December 1972 for 4th Kings. Bonnell served as a Member until the general election of 29 April 1974 was called. The by-election resulted from the vacancy caused by the resignation of Bonnell's brother Mark Lome* after his appointment to the Senate. Their grandfather, Mark H. Bonnell*, was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1922 for 4th Kings and served until 1923. Bonnell received his primary education at West Kent School. He attended Prince of Wales College and later graduated from Dalhousie University in 1960 with a medical degree. Following his medical training he carried on a family practice in Bedeque and Montague. Later Bonnell completed post-graduate training in general surgery in St. John's and in Orthopaedic Surgery at the Royal Victoria Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Montreal. On completion of post-graduate training in 1969, he returned to Charlottetown to practise medicine and specialized in the treatment of arthritis. Bonnell became the director of the Prince Edward Island Rehabilitation Centre. In August 1979 he moved to Okolona, Mississippi, where he practised medicine until April of 1980. At that time Bonnell suddenly became very ill and he returned to the province. John Bonnell died 31 May 1980 in Murray River. Bonnell served as director of the Gencheff Camp for Crippled Children, the director of the Prince Edward Island Rehabilitation Council, as an advisor to the Prince Edward Island Division of the Canadian Rheumatoid and Arthritis Society, and as provincial surgeon for St. John Ambulance. He was a member of the Masons and the Shriners. Bonnell was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II during her Silver Jubilee, and the Governor General honoured him on several occasions for his work with St. John Ambulance. Cathy Bonnell is the daughter of John Wilfred Craig and Isabel Martin of Middleton. She was born 6 May 1935 in Middleton, and resides in Ottawa.