Geneva "Bonnie" F. Kotze, 101, of Bethlehem, PA passed away Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at Alexandria Manor, Bath, PA. She was the widow of William J. Kotze to whom she was married for 72 loving years until his death on March 2, 2018. Born in Allentown, she was the daughter of the late Sybilla Elizabeth (Bond) Smith and the stepdaughter of the late Herbert S. Smith. She would be the first to tell you she never liked her first name and, growing up, went by the nickname "Bondie" until she met her late husband who began to call her "Bonnie".

She worked as an executive secretary at Bethlehem Steel after graduating from Liberty High School in 1943 and prior to her marriage. She was also a talented seamstress, who could make a whole outfit from scratch or help you tailor your clothes to fit just right. Her talent of sewing allowed her to help supplement the family income by tailoring on the side. She was a member of Christ Church U.C.C, in Bethlehem where she showcased her sewing talents in the church's craft room. She loved her church community and was active in the Group Bible Study and the Mother's Plus Group.

She was an avid Philadelphia sports fan who could be seen on game day yelling at the tv when the officials made questionable calls for her Phillies and Eagles. Bonnie was also known for her love of covered bridges which she enjoyed driving to see in person or collecting famous ones in art pieces. She enjoyed anything that had her working with her hands and that could be shared with great company. From gardening, baking cookies, cooking for her family, reading the daily newspaper or doing crossword puzzles and Soduko, she always kept active. Her love of word puzzles and games helped to keep her mind sharp and even beyond 100 years she still remembered details and milestones of all her loved ones and kept in touch with many of us through texting. Her greatest love was her family and she enjoyed spending time with all her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. Until the end, she maintained that she was alive to spend more time with those she loved. She also said that she lived so long because she was so curious (her word, "nosy") about what everyone was doing in their lives.

Survivors: Sons, Michael Kotze and his wife Lori with whom she resided, David Kotze of Zionsville; brother, Harry Longenbach of Nazareth; grandchildren, Michael, Stacy, Matthew, Jason, Elizabeth, Samantha, Amanda; great-grandchildren, Juland, Richard, Angelina, Georgia, Ethan, Avery; great-great-grandchildren, Mikaela, Brennan, Alaina, Thomas, Ellie Mae, and one on the way.

She was predeceased by her daughter, Bonnie Lucido; daughter-in-law, Deborah Kotze; sons-in-law, Jerome Lucido and Donald Kilpatrick; brothers, Raymond Kern, Robert Kern, Arthur Smith; sisters, Betty Mae Sawyer, Mary Ellen Trumbull and Eleanor Rinker.

Service: A Celebration of Bonnie's Life will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 3:00PM at the Cantelmi Long Funeral Home, 500 Linden St., Bethlehem. Family and friends may call from 2:00PM to 3:00PM Saturday, October 24, 2026 at the funeral home. Please record a memory at www.cantelmifuneralhome.com.

Contributions: Memorials may be made in Bonnie's memory to Christ Church United Church of Christ, 75 E. Market St., Bethlehem, PA 18018 or the Bethlehem Area Public Library, 11 W. Church St., Bethlehem, PA 18018.