Thomas Bonnell

Thomas Howard Bonnell, 83, of Canton and formerly of Bolivar, Ohio, passed away under the care of Aultman Hospice on July 15, 2017 following a two year battle with Pancreatic Cancer.

Born in Columbus, Ohio on October 16, 1933, he was the son of the late Dr. Rollo Wyrick and Nina Grace (Figley) Bonnell.

Tom’s early education began at the Columbus Academy where he graduated in 1951. He obtained his first college degree, a Bachelor of Arts, from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1956. Tom then completed a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture, cum laude, from The Ohio State University in 1961 and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 1965.

Tom’s exemplary career began with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources completing site planning and design at state parks. He then shared his talent with the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners in Municipal Park design. He worked for three years in the Boston area on projects at university campuses, corporate headquarters and industrial parks, achieving notoriety in on-site lighting.

From 1966 to 1986, Tom was a partner with Bircher-Bonnell & Associates in North Canton, before starting his own firm, Bonnell & Associates. Later in 1986, he merged with E.G. & G. in Akron. He enjoyed 32 years of challenging and rewarding landscape architecture in the private sector prior to his retirement in late 1998. During that time, Tom also was a part-time faculty member at The Ohio State University in architecture and landscape architecture, a visiting lecturer at Penn State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia Universities, a visiting evaluator to university programs for the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board, a member of the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board and the Ohio Board of Landscape Architect Examiners, as well as numerous review boards and advisory committees.
Tom was a lifetime Emeritus Member and Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He served on the Executive Committee of the Ohio Chapter of the ASLA for several years holding many offices on the board. He was adorned with numerous local, state, national and international awards for design, preservation, and economic development. Notably, he was recognized by former First Lady Nancy Reagan at The White House for a design he completed for The Timken Co.

Tom is survived by his family including his wife, Georgia A. (Cummings) Bonnell of Zoar; his children, Kathleen (Stephen) Lyman of Rockville, MD, and Tom (Peggy) Bonnell of Pittsburgh; his grandchildren, Dr. Matthew (fiancée, Jay Jay Schenbeck) Lyman of Denver, Nathan Lyman of San Francisco, Michelle Lyman of Rockville, MD, Jacob Bonnell of Woodberry Forest, VA, Ali Bonnell of Philadelphia, and Sam Bonnell of Pittsburgh.

In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by his sister, Rebecca S. Bonnell.

A memorial service celebrating Tom’s life will be held in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home, 116 Second Street NE, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663, on September 3, 2017 1:00 PM. A reception will follow in the Geib Family Center, located adjacent to the funeral home.
Memorial contributions in Tom’s memory may be directed to American Cancer Society.