Arthur F. “Art” Bonica of Natick passed away peacefully on June 11, 2026. He was born in Boston on January 7, 1949, to the late Frank and Bessie (Bignis) Bonica and was raised in Waltham.

Art eventually settled in Natick with his late wife, Emma (Berry) Bonica. He leaves his children: Christine Rollins and her husband Anthony of Natick; Susan Bonica of Clinton, wife of the late Howard Harris; David Bonica and his wife Kimberlee of Hardwick; Steven Bonica and his wife Gabriela of Hudson. He also leaves his grandchildren, Alice and Cecilia Harris, and his brother, Theodore “Ted” Bonica and his wife Maureen of Waltham.

Art was not a simple man to summarize. He moved through life on his own rhythm and was often most comfortable in familiar places where he could be social, useful, and known. He liked people, liked being liked, and took real pride in being the person someone could call when they needed a hand.

He liked the kinds of pastimes that brought people together and gave everyone a story to tell. In his younger years, he skied, played softball, and became an accomplished candlepin bowler, the kind of player who enjoyed both the competition and the camaraderie that came with being good at the game. Later, he found the same pleasure in playing card games: a little competition, a lot of conversation, and everyone having a good time.

He never had much patience for taking life too seriously. His humor was odd, playful, and absurd, shaped by the movies he loved and by a lifelong ability to find fun where other people might have seen something strange.

Art was often better at showing care through actions than through words. He could be absent-minded, hard to pin down, and uncomfortable with difficult conversations, but he was also generous with favors, proud of his family, and happiest when he could be useful to someone who needed him. He was better at doing than saying, better at helping than explaining, and better at enjoying the moment than sitting with difficult ones.

He liked systems, parts, tools, and the satisfaction of getting something working again. He may not always have followed the straightest path, but he had a knack for figuring out what was needed, fixing what he could, and improvising a solution with whatever was close at hand.

That lifelong instinct for how things worked showed up professionally. He started out as a car guy, working in local dealerships and developing the kind of memory for parts and numbers that later carried him into the computer industry. At Data General, he worked on the operations rooms that powered an earlier era of computing, helping build the spaces that kept systems running before computers became part of everyday desktop life.

Later, Art worked in IT support as well as facilities and equipment maintenance before returning in retirement to auto parts. He eventually found unexpected joy as a Natick crossing guard, a role that gave him routine, purpose, and a place in the daily rhythm of the town.

Visting Hours in the John Everett and Sons 4 Park Street Natick Common on Thursday June 25th from 12-3pm.  Followed by Funeral Service at 3pm.  Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend.  Interment Private.  For directions and guest book please www.everettfuneral.com