Longtime Thompson Falls Resident Bonnie 'Bon' Nicol Dies at 86

Nicol was an avid gardener, animal lover, and community member who spent over 50 years in the Montana town.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Bonnie 'Bon' Sharlene Ganatos Nicol, a longtime resident of Thompson Falls, Montana, passed away on September 5, 2025 at the age of 86. Nicol was born in 1939 in Sacramento, California and moved to Thompson Falls in 1972 after living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She worked a variety of jobs over the years, including at a title company, real estate office, and most recently at the local hardware store. Nicol was an avid gardener, animal lover, and community member who was involved in her children's activities when they were young.

Why it matters

Nicol's passing marks the end of an era for Thompson Falls, a small Montana town where she spent over 50 years of her life. As a longtime resident and active community member, Nicol's story reflects the changes the town has undergone over the decades and the importance of small-town values and connections, even as the world around it evolves.

The details

Nicol was born Bonnie Sharlene Ganatos in 1939 to Lester and Violet Yager in Sacramento, California. She married her high school sweetheart Gerasimo 'Jerry' Ganatos in 1959 and they had two children, Nick and Shari. The family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1960s, where Nicol worked as a bank teller. In 1972, they relocated to Thompson Falls, Montana, where Nicol worked a variety of jobs and raised her children as a single mother after divorcing Jerry in 1973. She later remarried Jim Nicol in 1981, but they divorced in 1983. Nicol spent the last 22 years of her career working at Seattle's SeaTac Airport for Alaska Airlines before retiring in 2005 and moving back to Thompson Falls, where she remained active in the community until her death.

  • Nicol was born on May 7, 1939 in Sacramento, California.
  • She graduated from Shasta Union High School in 1957.
  • Nicol and her husband Jerry Ganatos moved the family to Thompson Falls, Montana in 1972.
  • Nicol and Jerry divorced in 1973.
  • Nicol remarried Jim Nicol in 1981, but they divorced in 1983.
  • Nicol worked at Seattle's SeaTac Airport for Alaska Airlines for 22 years before retiring in 2005.
  • Nicol passed away on September 5, 2025 at the age of 86 in her Thompson Falls home.

The players

Bonnie 'Bon' Sharlene Ganatos Nicol

A longtime resident of Thompson Falls, Montana who passed away at the age of 86. She was an avid gardener, animal lover, and active community member.

Gerasimo 'Jerry' Ganatos

Nicol's first husband, whom she married in 1959 and divorced in 1973.

Jim Nicol

Nicol's second husband, whom she married in 1981 but divorced in 1983.

Nick Ganatos

Nicol's son.

Shari Mckenzie

Nicol's daughter.

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The takeaway

Nicol's life story highlights the importance of community and small-town connections, even as the world around it changes. Her decades-long commitment to Thompson Falls and her active involvement in the local community made her a beloved figure, and her passing marks the end of an era for the town.