Bonnie Arnold of Harpers Ferry died peacefully on March 9, at age 81.  She was surrounded by family.

After graduating from Indiana University, Bonnie accompanied her husband through his junior Army Officer assignments and his early U.S. government assignments before arriving in Fairfax County, Virginia.  One of the earliest members of the Fairfax County Office for Children, she began her long, productive career in Fairfax County government during the formation of a task force to try to institutionalize early childhood education as a service to the community.  She retired as the Director of Early Childhood Education, leading all county early childhood entities, including Head Start and Before and After School learning.  These agencies provided needed childcare to over 10,000 children annually in over 130 school sites for pre-school age, school age and special needs children.  She created learning motifs that included the natural world, the arts, cultural respect and others.  Her model has been studied and implemented by other cities and counties.

She was a member of Saint Peter's Lutheran Church.

She is survived by her husband, Stephen Arnold.  Others include her brother, Michael Brown of New South Wales, Australia, her sons Andrew of Shepherdstown, Matthew of Charles Town, daughters-in-law Carmela Cesare and Shawn Arnold; and granddaughters:  Sadie, Jackie, Myra, Gwen and Justine.

Services will be private.  Bonnie supported the National Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy.