Bonnie Stainback Epling began her life in March of 1942, in the middle of World War II, with her father away in the Pacific.  She finally met him when she was two years old, and the family moved many times with her father's service as a doctor in the Navy, and his post-war medical career.  The family grew, adding two brothers and a sister. During those turbulent early years of new schools and new friends, Bonnie found consistency in one of her lifetime passions - horses.  She became an accomplished amateur equestrian in the years before college on the Main Line, Philadelphia. Later in life, after finding her new home in Loudoun County, Virginia, and raising four children of her own, she came back to riding socially with neighbors and friends.

In the transformative era of the 1960’s, Bonnie entered Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and formed a lifetime friendship with her roommate, and eventual sister-in-law, Susan Epling.  During college, when Susan’s brother John Epling returned from service in the Army, he and Bonnie met, fell in love, and cemented a bond that carried them through almost six decades of marriage. They would go on to have four children, and raise them in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Known for her strong opinions and willingness to back them up with action, Bonnie took on many leadership roles to create a better community in Loudoun, and beyond.  As a school librarian at Loudoun Country Day School, an appointed member of the Loudoun County School Board, a Loudoun County Master Gardener, a Leadership Loudoun member, founder of the Loudoun Future Speaker Series, member of Loudoun Hunger Relief, and as a board member for the Crounse Corporation, Bonnie committed herself in large and small ways toward serving others. In her late forties, with two teenagers at home and her husband’s brief career move to New Jersey, Bonnie achieved a lifelong ambition of earning her law degree at Rutgers University-Camden.

Throughout her life, she particularly valued the friendships she built through her tennis leagues, children’s friends, community engagements, equestrian friends, and her Mahjong group.  As a devoted mother and doting grandmother, she inspired her family to achieve, she connected their lives, cushioned their pain, and celebrated their joys—as the light, the love, and the foundation of the family.

Bonnie passed away on July 15th, 2019.  She was preceded in death by her parents, William C. Stainback and Sallie A. Stainback, her sister Joanne S. Fillippo, her son-in-law, David M. Osborne, her in-laws Mary Virginia and Raymond Epling, and her brother-in-law Ray Kenneth Epling.

She is survived by her husband, John W. Epling Sr. of Philomont, VA; four children, John W. Epling Jr. (Cynthia) of Roanoke, VA, Cameron E. Osborne of Middleburg, VA, Nathan W. Epling (Ashley) of Alexandria, VA, Adam B. Epling (Genevieve) of Philomont, VA; two brothers, William C. Stainback Jr. (Maria) of Novato, CA, and David A. Stainback (Susan) of Malvern, PA; sister-in-law Mary Susan Epling of Smith Mountain Lake, VA and brother-in-law Thomas A. Fillippo of Malvern, PA; nine grandchildren, Aaron, Rebecca, Seth, John Thomas, Catherine, Tristan, Jane, Hazel, and Mary Rose; and her beloved Jack Russell terrier, Lily.

In memory of Bonnie, please consider supporting one of the following organizations:

Loudoun Hunger Relief, https://www.loudounhunger.org 

Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center, https://www.seaturtlehospital.org/