FITCHBURG, Mass. — Rae Ann Bonnevie, 57, passed away June 3. She lived in Fitchburg many years and was a teacher.

She was born in Farmington and grew up in Livermore. She moved with her family to Bolton, Mass., and graduated from Nashoba Regional High School. She put herself through Fitchburg State College earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1975. During a 25-year career at Lancaster Memorial Elementary School, she touched the lives of hundreds of children in kindergarten and grades two and three. She was dedicated to fostering her students’ enjoyment of reading.

Rae Ann continued her education by earning two additional masters degrees: elementary science education and library and media technology from Fitchburg State.

Rae Ann enjoyed spending time back in Maine with family and friends, water skiing, indoor gardening, traveling, reading, flea marketing, canoeing and white water rafting. She found time to volunteer at her daughter’s Brownie Troop and soccer activities. Rae Ann was integral in the design and construction of the unique home she loved in Fitchburg.

She is survived by her two children, Christopher Van Amburgh and Catherine Van Amburgh of Fitchburg; her mother, Mabel (Nichols) Zayka and stepfather, Peter Zayka of Livermore; brothers, Frank Bonnevie and wife, Marjorie, of Pittsfield, Mass., Bruce Bonnevie and wife, Cindy, of Livermore and Glenn Bonnevie of Fitchburg; a sister, Lynn Conant and husband, James, of Pittsfield, Mass.; stepsisters, Donna Jacobson and husband, Arthur, of Lunenburg, Mass., Diane Lemay and husband, Dann, of Leominster, Deborah Dignard and husband, Fran, of Leominster and Cheryle Zayka of Fitchburg; her former husband, Jeffrey Van Amburgh of Fitchburg; longtime friend, Kevin Gougen of Fitchburg; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

She was predeceased by her father, Elzeard Bonnevie of Maine in 1991; and a stepbrother, Peter Zayka of Acton, Mass., in 1981.

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