BONO, Joyce M. 80, of Clearwater passed away peacefully at home on Dec. 1, 2011. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio to parents Joseph and Pearl Ann Riley, Joyce was one of 10 children including four brothers and four sisters. Growing up, Joyce's childhood was a happy and joyous one. No matter the circumstances, she always maintained her zeal for life.

Her home in the Mt. Washington area of Cincinnati was nestled in a valley surrounded by the beautiful streams that fed the Ohio River. There surrounded by the natural beauty, Joyce learned to enjoy the simplicity in life. Joyce loved her family and friends and they very much loved her. She was a precious, kind, caring young girl and very much a dreamer and idealist. She knew what she loved and pursued it with all her heart. Joyce knew no strangers and loved everyone she met. Joyce was an extraordinarily beautiful woman in youth. That beauty extended well into adulthood and old age. She took great pride in her appearance even through her senior years and when she became very ill.

As a young woman, Joyce modeled for several fashion stores in Ohio including the prestigious Henry Harris. During one of her modeling jobs at J.C. Penney, Joyce met her dashing soon to be husband, Donald Bono, a former display manager with the store. Their meeting was the true "Love at First Sight" ideal that every girl dreams of.

After the couple married, Joyce opened an art gallery in Cincinnati and specialized in contemporary art while Don began his career in real estate. While Joyce enjoyed so many different interests and had great skills as a business woman, real estate was one thing she left to Don and preferred not to involve herself in. His business flourished and he continued his work when they moved to Clearwater.
Later, Joyce became a Certified Nursing Aid, a career that spanned nearly 20 years. The compassion and concern that she had for the patients that she cared for was truly remarkable. She loved her work as a CNA and cared for residents in several communities in both Ohio and Florida including The Oaks of Clearwater and Top of the World.

Don and Joyce were truly a dream couple who spent every day of their 56 year marriage completely in love with one another. They shared a passion for music and loved to dance along with the romantic songs of the era. This love of dancing lasted throughout their marriage and into the years the couple shared with their two sons David and Bobby. The entire family cherished the memories they had from these times together in Clearwater.
Christmas was a special time for Don and Joyce. They loved celebrating the holiday with elaborate displays centered around beautiful scenes of the Nativity. These wonderful displays won community awards year after year in both their Clearwater and Cincinnati homes.
The most trying time Joyce and Don experienced was the loss of their son David Edward Bono at the age of 40. The family noticed Joyce and Don were never the same after David's passing. Their hopes were dashed and their pain was so deep, they never fully recovered. However, even through this hardship, their Christian Faith was so strongly rooted that their faith carried Joyce and Don through the rest of their years by sharing their God given life with all their family.

Joyce loved Don and her family deeply. She was the first to defend him against any negativity, no matter how slight or how minor the episode. This vigorous loyalty extended to her children, David and Bobby, and entire family. Her son Bobby, their only surviving child, lived with Joyce on and off throughout the years and lived with Joyce during the time Don passed away.
Joyce was tragically stricken with dementia in her later years but she remained a sweet, gentle soul. It was such a devastating thing to watch what dementia did to our wonderful sister during the last four to five years of her life. The last two years being the hardest to watch and experience. She struggled so hard to try to communicate with her family and friends but during the final year of her life, it became nearly impossible. Our family's hardest experience was to watch her prolonged physical and mental life waste away.

All of Joyce's family wished to ask of everyone reading this obituary and tribute that you please do all you can to show your love and mercy to anyone to whom you may come in contact with that has this devastating disease, Our entire family, The Bonos, the Rileys, the Canns, the Vivianos and the Hills, want to give a much deserved adoration and praise to Joyce's niece Earlene Mossor and Earlene's daughter Breanna as well as caregivers Amanda and Lauren for their great commitment to Joyce's full time care for the last eight months of Joyce's life. Our family is forever indebted to them. May the Lord Jesus whom Joyce loved pour out his abundant blessing on the lives of Earlene, Breanna, Amanda, and Lauren and all others who shared love, mercy, kindness, and gentleness to our wonderful sister, Joyce. In addition, we wish to thank the St. Cecelia Catholic Church of Clearwater for their wonderful fellowship of Joyce and Don Bono. They were blessed at your church for all the years they attended together. The family is indebted to you also.