Bonnie Susan Herzog, beloved preschool teacher in Bayport, dies at 76

Bonnie Susan Herzog was a popular preschool teacher for more than 25 years at the Kiddie Kampus in Bayport. She also was the beloved wife of former Newsday sports editor and reporter Bob Herzog for 53 years.

Bonnie Herzog died unexpectedly at the couple's home in Wakefield, Rhode Island, on April 19, at age 76.

'My forever sweetheart'

"She was my forever sweetheart," Bob Herzog said of the young woman he met in 1970, when both were students at Syracuse University. "She was my everything. She was a great teacher of preschool kids at 4 years old and loved them dearly. Always loved children, not just her own. It was neat to see what a fantastic grandmother she was."

Bonnie Herzog was born in Jersey City in 1950 and graduated from New Providence High School in 1968. She earned a degree with honors in elementary education at Syracuse University.

"Perhaps the funniest story is how we met on a double date in college," Bob Herzog said. "We were out with different people. There was a crush right away in the fall of 1970. We fell for one another."

The two went on their first date alone to see the movie "Camelot" on the university campus.

They both graduated in June 1972 and married later that year, on Oct. 8 at The Manor in New Jersey. The wedding song — "If Ever I Would Leave You" — was from "Camelot."

The couple moved to Buffalo for one year and then to Long Island; they lived in Central Islip before buying a home in Holbrook in 1978. They had two children: a son, Jamey, and a daughter, Allison.

Unconditional love

"She was selfless with unconditional love, and we were lucky to have her as a mother," said Jamey Herzog, of Rhode Island. "She always made sure all of our needs were met. It could be cooking, helping with homework, or just being the ultimate supporter."

The stay-at-home mother then went to work guided by her passion for elementary school education. She worked for Kiddie Kampus from 1993 to 2018.

"She always had such creative projects for them to do," Bob Herzog said. "She would challenge our grandkids to be creative with painting, drawing and building things."

The Herzogs retired in 2018 and moved to Rhode Island to be near family.

"Once the grandkids came along, Bonnie insisted we move there," Herzog said. "We shared many happy times with our three grandchildren at school events, athletic contests and on vacations. Nothing brought her more joy than the time she spent with her grandkids."

Active lifestyle

Bonnie Herzog loved gardening, crafting, decorating, music and travel. "Neighbors were always commenting on her colorful flowers," Bob Herzog said. "Our home is beautifully filled with her handiwork."

Bonnie Herzog was active on the social committee, choir, game and crafting groups, and bowling league in the couple's 55+ condominium community of South Shore Village in Wakefield.

"She really loved living here. It’s a fantastic place filled with great people," her husband said.

In retirement, Bob and Bonnie enjoyed traveling — together and with friends and family. They journeyed to tropical paradises like Aruba, Cancun and Maui for their 50th wedding anniversary.

"The beach was our happy place," he said.

They also traveled to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Italy with several neighbors, visiting Venice, Rome, Florence and the Amalfi coast. The couple also cruised to Alaska with their son’s family and went to Paris in spring 2025 to celebrate their 75th birthdays.

"Bonnie loved Impressionist art and was overjoyed to see Monet’s paintings and, especially, his home in Giverny," Bob Herzog said. "She was delighted that we walked and took photos on the bridge that is depicted in many of Monet’s water lilies paintings." The couple also visited the Louvre, other Paris museums and the palace at Versailles.

Along with her husband and two children, Bonnie Herzog is survived by Allison Herzog's husband, Frank Fusco, of Rhode Island; daughter-in-law, Jennifer Herren, of Rhode Island; sister, Stacia Friedman-Hill, and her husband, Ernest Hill, of Maryland; brother, Andrew Friedman, and his wife, Marianne, of Phoenix; and brothers-in-law Lawrence and Ronald Herzog, of California.

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.