Virginia Bonita Breeding Black, our “Bonnie,” died October 21, 2023, at Shallotte Pointe. Born in Oklahoma City, OK on November 3, 1942, she was a daughter of the late William Chester Breeding, Sr., and Mary Doris Tripp Breeding. Bonnie’s father was a Sergeant with the US Army Corps of Engineers and was fighting in Germany when she was born. He was wounded in combat and was sent home to Oklahoma, giving him and Doris the opportunity to add two new members to the family, W.C. Breeding II (Bill) and Doris Ethyl, later known as Debi. 

Sgt. Breeding retired as a Captain after 25 years in the Army. After the war ended, he was sent back to Germany and to Japan, and his family was often able to accompany him. This was an excellent experience for the children and served to increase their understanding of the world and mold their lives to a significant degree.   

Bonnie graduated high school in Lawton, Ok., in 1961. She was an excellent tennis player and was ranked in the top 10 high school girls in the State of Oklahoma. She played tennis throughout most of the rest of her life and taught both of her children to play as well. 

Shortly after high school she met and married Richard G. Watts, Jr., at Fort Sill, OK., where he and Captain Breeding were both serving. Her son, Joseph, was born in 1964, and her daughter, Julie, in 1967. Both her children were born and raised in Dallas, TX., which was their father’s hometown. 

As her children got a little older, Bonnie earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Dallas while working part time as a cashier at the Safeway grocery store. With all that she continued to be a wonderful Mother, a woman of boundless love, energy, and enthusiasm.  

Bonnie started her professional career as a salesperson for Sylvania, in the light bulb division. Later she moved to Shallotte to be with her parents and earned her real estate license. Bonnie sold real estate for approximately 37 years and was an owner and the broker in charge at ReMax at the Beach, LLC, in Calabash, N.C. Bonnie was a leader and a motivator, and she was tremendously successful at anything and everything she did. 

Bonnie was active in the Holden Beach Chapel where she served as an usher. 

In the 1970s Bonnie’s desire to achieve and her pure energy and drive set her against the norms of the time. She persisted and succeeded in what was then considered a male venue and effected a great many people in a positive and often life changing fashion. She did it her way and literally blazed through a wonderful and commendable life as a daughter, sister, wife, Mother, step-Mother, Grandmother, friend, and professional. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her or did business with her.   

Surviving are her daughters, Julie Watts, Dallas, Texas and canine Ginger, Shallotte; sons, Joseph Randall Watts (Lynn) of Dallas, and Graeme Black (Heide) of Carolina Shores, N.C.; sister, Doris Ethyl “Debi” Cooke (Robert) of The Villages, FL; brother, Bill Breeding II of Shallotte; grandchildren, Ian Black, Paige Watts and Justin Watts; and so many special and wonderful friends and associates that to name them here would make this the lengthiest obituary in history.  

A Celebration of Life will be conducted at 11:00 AM, Monday, October 30, 2023, at the Holden Beach Chapel. 

Memorials may be directed to the Children’s Miracle Network, 205 W. 700 South Salt Lake City, UT 84101 or The Holden Beach Chapel, 107 Rothchild Street, Holden Beach, NC 28462, or the charity of one’s choice.  

Brunswick Funeral Service, Shallotte, NC