This morning (July 9), longtime Oak Rich Boys member Joe Bonsall passed away due to complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This afternoon, the group took to social media to share some details about Bonsall’s life and death as well as news about his funeral arrangements.
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The message was short and to the point. However, it did much to shed light on a life that touched so many others. Bonsall wasn’t just one of the brightest voices in the Oak Ridge Boys. He was also a family man, a farmer, an author, and a man of faith.
[RELATED: Longtime Oak Ridge Boys Member Joe Bonsall Dead at 76]
The Oak Ridge Boys Share Joe Bonsall’s Partial Obituary
After noting that Joe Bonsall died due to complications of ALS, the post pointed out that he left several family members behind. “He leaves behind his precious wife, Mary Add, daughters Jennifer and Sabrina, granddaughter Beanna, grandson Luke, two great-grandsons, Chance and Grey, and a sister, Nancy,” it read. “He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph S. Bonsall Sr. and Lillie Bonsall.”
The partial obituary also highlighted some of Bonsall’s professional accomplishments. “As a 50-year member of the American music group, The Oak Ridge Boys, Joe was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame,” it noted. However, his accomplishments didn’t just lie in the music he made.
“Joseph is also the author of 11 books including his latest, a memoir entitled, I See Myself which releases in November. Joe loved to sing, he loved to read, he loved to write, he loved to play banjo, he loved working on the farm, and he loved the Philadelphia Phillies. But Jesus and his family always came first—and we will see him again on the Promised Day,” the post stated.
At Bonsall’s request, there will be no funeral in his honor. In lieu of flowers, he wanted fans, friends, family, and loved ones to make donations to The ALS Association or the Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center.
At this time, the Bonsall family requests privacy.
Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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