Bona Belnap

Bona Belliston Belnap died May 3, 2024, at her home in Provo, Utah, surrounded by family. She was born May 23, 1934, in Nephi, Utah, the second of nine children born to Lester and Leona Belliston. She married the late Parley Leland Belnap in the Salt Lake Temple on June 22, 1962. He was the love of her life.

Bona had a voracious appetite for learning and loved teaching; she also was a talented musician and had a gift for technical things. In 1951, she skipped her senior year in high school to enter the University of Utah as a Ford Foundation scholarship student, part of an experiment to see if some students could start college early. She graduated with high honors in 1955 with a B.A. degree in music education. In 1956, she earned a Master of Arts degree in musicology from Brigham Young University. While in high school she studied clarinet with Simeon Bellison, a world-renowned clarinetist. Her master's thesis was a study of his life. She spoke German fluently and learned Russian in her sixties, becoming proficient enough to give tours at the BYU Jerusalem Center to Russian-speaking visitors. She taught German in Junior and Senior High Schools. She led university student choirs in Russian and English. She could teach herself anything. She assisted her husband with technical aspects of various musical projects, including preparing music for his book, "Hymn Studies for Organists" and recording for his album, "Parley Belnap at the Organ". She disassembled and repaired a garden-tiller transmission. She was an avid photographer and developed her own pictures.

Bona was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served a proselyting mission in Germany (1957-1959). She and Parley helped with music, tours, and hosting at the BYU Jerusalem Center (1998-1999). They served as missionaries in London (2003-2005). She served in a variety of callings in her local wards and in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. Her favorite was being a leader of 11-year old boy scouts.

Bona was beloved by many including her children and their spouses/partners, David (Julie), Dan (Laura), Kevin (Catherine), Lynn (Janeal), Newell (Rebecca), Sandra (Steven), and Steven (Hiroko); 19 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; eight siblings (Ara, Nancy, Ward, Pete, Brent, Don, Blanche, and Elizabeth) and their families; and friends wherever she lived, from Utah to the Holy Land. She loved getting to know people. She inspired and uplifted her children and others by her moving example, loving manners, and encouraging words.

Visitation/viewing will be held Thursday, May 9, from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Anderson and Sons Mortuary (49 East 100 North, American Fork, Utah). On Friday, May 10, funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM at the Oak Hills First Ward chapel (1038 North 1200 East, Provo, Utah). Visitation will precede the funeral from 9:30-10:45 AM. Burial will follow at the Hooper, Utah Cemetery (5301 South 6300 West) and will begin at approximately 2:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for contributions to The Belnap Foundation for Mitochondrial Disease, the Parley L. Belnap Endowed Organ Scholarship Fund at BYU, or the Parley Belnap Organ Studies Endowment at Utah State University. The family thanks the many who cared for Bona in her extended, final illness.