Robert Bonney; Pioneering Million-Dollar Donor to UCI

Robert B. Bonney, a business executive who was one of the earliest million-dollar donors to UC Irvine, has died of complications from a stroke.

He was 86 when he died Sunday.

Bonney and his wife, Meryl, gave UCI’s Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory $1 million in 1985, and one of the two buildings was named the Robert and Meryl Bonney Research Laboratory. The Bonneys continued to support the university financially and in spirit over the years.

“Some people are one-time only donors, and a lot of people have given more money more recently, but they were among the first to step up and say, ‘We’d like to help UCI meet its potential as a research university,’ ” said James McGaugh, director of the center. “That was really impressive. Then they maintained their constant support. They were extremely wonderful people.”

They also donated to UCI’s Center for Brain Imaging.

In 1988, the Bonneys received the UCI Medal, the university’s highest honor, and Bonney was on the board of the UCI Foundation.

Bonney was born in Cimmaron, N.M., on June 12, 1914. Working his way through college during the Depression, it took Bonney nine years to receive his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Mexico.

In 1945, Bonney and Burgess Dempster founded Electronic Engineering Co. of California, known later as EECO. The company moved to Santa Ana in 1957. The firm started out producing range instrumentation equipment for guided missile development and later manufactured electronic equipment.

Bonney retired in 1991 as chairman of the board.

Meryl Bonney died several years ago.

Bonney’s remains will be cremated and scattered above his childhood home in Albuquerque. A memorial service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at the center.

He is survived by sons Michael and Bruce, one grandchild and two great-grandchildren.