Bonnie L. (Ott) Soloninka

Bonnie L. (Ott) Soloninka, 73, of New Cumberland, PA, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 15, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. Born June 5, 1952, in Mechanicsburg, she was the daughter of the late Samuel and Frances (Harlacher) Ott.

Bonnie was a hardworking woman whose strong work ethic carried her through many different roles over the years. Early in life, she worked at Hills Department Store and Murphy Mart, before later serving on the custodial staff at ABWE. She also worked as a cook at the former New Cumberland Army Depot and held positions with the Book of the Month Club, the Rite Aid headquarters cafeteria, and Messiah Village. Her favorite job, however, was as a technician with Merck Medical in Mechanicsburg, where she especially treasured the friendships she made with the women she worked alongside.

A faithful and devoted Christian, Bonnie and her beloved husband, Don, were members of New Life Church in New Cumberland for more than forty years. Her faith remained steadfast throughout her life and brought her great comfort and peace in her final days. She looked forward to being reunited in Heaven with loved ones who had gone before her. Together, she and Don built a life centered around faith and family.

Bonnie had a warm and welcoming spirit that made everyone feel at home. Christmas was especially dear to her heart, and she loved having her family together at the holidays. She faithfully sent cards each year to an enormous list of family and friends and somehow never forgot anyone. One Christmas, Bonnie and Don found and cut down (what they thought was) the perfect Christmas tree at a local tree farm, only to later learn it was technically on the neighboring property. It became a story they would laugh about for years and reflected Bonnie’s great sense of humor.

She found happiness in life’s simple pleasures. Bonnie was an avid fiction reader and faithfully watched General Hospital for decades, eventually getting several family members hooked on the show as well. She loved flowers blooming in the yard, birds gathering outside her windows, and the color blue, which she often said reminded her of the beauty of the sky. Her lucky number was 18, and there was almost always a glass of iced tea brewing nearby.

Above all else, Bonnie treasured her family. She especially enjoyed sitting with family on the front porch of her Bridge Street home to watch the annual New Cumberland Memorial Day Parade pass by. Her greatest joy came from being surrounded by the people she loved most, no matter the occasion.

Surviving Bonnie is her husband and “love muffin” of 49 years, Don Soloninka of New Cumberland; children, Kim LaPorta (Jake), Bill Soloninka (Brandy), Lisa Metzger (Ed), Angela Poust (Carl), and Ryan Soloninka; siblings, Harry Ott (Annette), Rick Ott, Flo Shultz (Bob), Bob Ott, Leah Hart (Rich), and Gary Noll; 16 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren; and a large extended family. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Shirley Wheeler and Midge Junkins; and a daughter-in-law, Sandy Soloninka.

A public visitation will be held from 10AM until a memorial service begins at 11AM on Friday, May 22, 2026, at New Life Church, New Cumberland.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Bonnie’s name to either the American Kidney Fund or the Epilepsy Foundation.