Bonnie Erlanda Fritz Gettle was born in Chicago on May 12, 1963 to Virginia and Wilbert Fritz. She moved to Los Angeles with her son Jason in 1993 and began working at Marmalade Cafe in Malibu in 1994. She quickly fell in love with her Marmalade family and regulars. She remained in Malibu while also working in Westlake and, later, Calabasas. She became the face of Marmalade and it became her “Cheers.” She knew everyone’s name and they knew hers and loved her.
In January 2011, Bonnie was engaged to her best friend Rod Gettle. On her 49th birthday, May 12, 2012, Bonnie and Rod were married in Malibu, CA surrounded by her family and closest friends. The celebration of her wedding was, according to her, “one of the best days of her life.”
Bonnie was diagnosed with lung cancer in June of 2011. She fought the fight of her life with dignity, grace and a smile on her face. Her spirit never waned and she remained positive until the end. We know she has found peace in heaven and is smiling down on us.
She is survived by her son Jason, her husband Rod, her mother Virginia, her brother Sonny and her sisters Linda, Glenda, Sharon, Paula and Vickie. She is also survived by her many nieces and nephews in Southern California and Chicago. Bonnie is such an extraordinary soul, to limit her impact on this world and to the people she shared her life with to a few short paragraphs seems a grave injustice; the love her family and friends have for her is eternal, running deep as her beautiful blue eyes
The memorial will be on Friday, June 29 at 11a.m. at Our Lady of Malibu Church.
3625 Winter Canyon Road, Malibu, CA (310) 456-2361