Owner of popular Green Bay eatery passes away from cancer
By: Heather Sawaski
Updated: January 8, 2013
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) - The long-time owner of a popular Green Bay eatery has passed away.
Local 5 first brought you Bonnie Homan's story last month. The owner of Mill Town Cafe on the city's north side lost her battle with bone marrow cancer over the weekend.
For the rest of the week the lights will be out at Mill Town Cafe. The restaurant is closed so Bonnie's family can grieve together.
"End of march would have been our 40th anniversary," said Bonnie's husband Mike. "We've done this together side by side for almost 19 years."
Mike Homan said it's hard to find a person who didn't know Bonnie and her playful personality.
"We've heard from people all over," he said. "It's just amazing, just amazing."
Last spring, Bonnie was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. Just before Christmas she underwent a bone marrow transplant in Milwaukee. So her family could be by her side, and not close the restaurant, a group of Green Bay Metro firefighters stepped in to cook and serve customers.
She passed away on Sunday morning, but Mike said she was the same old Bonnie throughout her battle.
"She was joking with the nurses," recalled Mike. "Even with the guy in the room next door, no wild parties! We don't want any wild parties."
"The things she did for this community, and the things that family did, there's too many to mention," Chad Bronkhorst, President of Green Bay Metro Firefighters, said. "It's a big loss for the city of Green Bay and the surrounding area."
Long-time customer Chad Bronkhorst helped organized the fundraising event.
"Knowing her as little as I did compared to some of the family members and things like that," said Bronkhorst. "But just knowing her and her personality, she would want things to just continue on."
And they will. Mike hopes to open the restaurant to customers by Monday morning.
"We need to be with the people," he said. "and I'm sure they need to be with us so we can all heal together."
Visitation is at Malcore Funeral Home from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday afternoon. Then again before funeral mass from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Church on Saturday.
