Cornelius Bonacum Obituary (1945 – 2022) – Lexington, SC
Cornelius “Niel” Joseph Bonacum, Jr.
February 23, 1945 – March 30, 2022
Lexington, SC – Cornelius “Niel” Joseph Bonacum, Jr., 77, died March 30, 2022 in Lexington, SC. He was born on February 23, 1945, the fifth of five children, in Huntington, New York, to the late Cornelius Joseph Bonacum, Sr. and Dorothy Parkes Bonacum. He graduated from North Babylon Senior High School and married the late Nancy Lee Hoernel on August 14, 1965. He served in the United States Army in 1970, then worked as an air traffic controller in New York. His love of aviation would continue throughout his life as he became a private pilot and certified flight instructor. He moved his family to South Carolina and established Manus Construction and Manus Real Estate, which began his career in real estate development. He developed many neighborhoods and subdivisions throughout Lexington County, and despite being “retired” twice, he also conceptualized and built Whiteplains Plantation (SC99), an air park unique to Gilbert.
Niel has lived his life to the fullest as an entrepreneur running a successful business, an adventurer traveling the country by roads and skies, as a donor providing free air travel to passengers in need of medical treatment via Angel Flight, and as a recognized speaker with Toastmasters. International. He was a member of the Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lexington, SC, and active in the local EAA Chapter 242. Those who knew Niel knew he approached life with patience, perseverance, and always a great sense of humor.
Niel is survived by his brother, Richard Bonacum (Barbara); his twin daughters, Cynthia Taylor (Robert) and Candice Escoe (Clint); grandsons, Nathaniel and Grant Escoe; daughter, Janine D’Eredita; granddaughter, Jessica Siachitano (Tim); grandson, Joseph Siegel; and several beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. He is predeceased by his parents; wife of 49 years, Nancy Bonacum; daughter, Stacey Bonacum; sisters, Mary Barbara “Bonnie” Bonacum, Dorothy O’Brien Bachelor (Carl) and Kathleen Bonacum Meaney (James).
Many thanks to family, friends and caregivers, especially the team at Agape Care Lexington Community Hospice House, for their constant compassion and kindness.
The family will hold a private service in May and hold a memorial gathering to celebrate Niel’s life, family and accomplishments at Whiteplains Plantation the same month. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Niel’s memory be made to the Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation (www.hpcfoundation.org) or the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) or the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. (www.guidedog.org).
Barr-Price Funeral Home and Crematorium, Lexington Chapel, is helping the family.
Register online at barr-price.com
February 23, 1945 – March 30, 2022
Lexington, SC – Cornelius “Niel” Joseph Bonacum, Jr., 77, died March 30, 2022 in Lexington, SC. He was born on February 23, 1945, the fifth of five children, in Huntington, New York, to the late Cornelius Joseph Bonacum, Sr. and Dorothy Parkes Bonacum. He graduated from North Babylon Senior High School and married the late Nancy Lee Hoernel on August 14, 1965. He served in the United States Army in 1970, then worked as an air traffic controller in New York. His love of aviation would continue throughout his life as he became a private pilot and certified flight instructor. He moved his family to South Carolina and established Manus Construction and Manus Real Estate, which began his career in real estate development. He developed many neighborhoods and subdivisions throughout Lexington County, and despite being “retired” twice, he also conceptualized and built Whiteplains Plantation (SC99), an air park unique to Gilbert.
Niel has lived his life to the fullest as an entrepreneur running a successful business, an adventurer traveling the country by roads and skies, as a donor providing free air travel to passengers in need of medical treatment via Angel Flight, and as a recognized speaker with Toastmasters. International. He was a member of the Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lexington, SC, and active in the local EAA Chapter 242. Those who knew Niel knew he approached life with patience, perseverance, and always a great sense of humor.
Niel is survived by his brother, Richard Bonacum (Barbara); his twin daughters, Cynthia Taylor (Robert) and Candice Escoe (Clint); grandsons, Nathaniel and Grant Escoe; daughter, Janine D’Eredita; granddaughter, Jessica Siachitano (Tim); grandson, Joseph Siegel; and several beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. He is predeceased by his parents; wife of 49 years, Nancy Bonacum; daughter, Stacey Bonacum; sisters, Mary Barbara “Bonnie” Bonacum, Dorothy O’Brien Bachelor (Carl) and Kathleen Bonacum Meaney (James).
Many thanks to family, friends and caregivers, especially the team at Agape Care Lexington Community Hospice House, for their constant compassion and kindness.
The family will hold a private service in May and hold a memorial gathering to celebrate Niel’s life, family and accomplishments at Whiteplains Plantation the same month. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Niel’s memory be made to the Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation (www.hpcfoundation.org) or the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) or the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. (www.guidedog.org).
Barr-Price Funeral Home and Crematorium, Lexington Chapel, is helping the family.
Register online at barr-price.com
Published by The State on April 6, 2022.