Charlotte Anne Bonsteel

Charlotte Anne (“Cheri” or “Ceci”) Bonsteel of Oklahoma City joined her family and friends in heaven on Monday, August 4, 2025, where she is likely trying to find an aggressive enough pickleball partner, while telling everyone about her daughter McKenzie, son-in-law Matt, and grandchildren Charlotte, Oliver, and Eliza. She had just watched Oliver play an indoor soccer match on Saturday–one of her favorite things to do. She is already fiercely missed.

Cheri was born on October 15, 1953, in Harrison, Arkansas, to Carolyn (Cecil) Bonsteel Gokenbach and Charles William (“Bill”) Bonsteel. Her childhood was full of adventure and a deep love for her father’s lumberyard and the smell of sawdust. Cheri loved doing flips on the trampoline (her dad called her “Flippo”), cheerleading, biting neighborhood dogs back, mouthing the words in her church choir (at the director’s request), dancing, going to Kanakomo, and excelling at math and science. She wanted to be a doctor since second grade. She played the flute in the band, went to Girls State, and was cheerleading captain for the Harrison High School Golden Goblins and Homecoming Queen. She was a brilliant straight-A student and athlete, and she loved to drive fast, earning the nickname of Parnelli Bonsteel in Harrison. She loved the University of Arkansas, and she was in the ROTC Cadette Corps and a diver on the Razorback men’s team.

Having been accepted to medical school, in 1975, she instead married David High, whom she met at Kanakuk Kamp, and moved to Oklahoma City. She finished college and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. In 1980, the joy of Cheri’s life was born, Katie McKenzie. Cheri loved nothing more than watching McKenzie (“Mac”) succeed in school, dance, debate, Odyssey of the Mind, and eventually her legal career. Not competitive at all, she always told McKenzie to “beat the boys.”

In 1994, Cheri graduated from the University of Oklahoma Medical School with Honors as a Physician Associate and began a fulfilling 30-year career in medicine. She was on the heart transplant team, opened a pediatric neurology clinic, practiced cardiology, dermatology, electrophysiology, and in 2022 embarked on a new path at the Integris ICU in neurology, working 7-day 12-hour shifts. She treasured her mentors, co-workers, and patients, and they were the reason she struggled to ever stop working, repeatedly celebrating her retirement while continuing to pick up shifts.

Cheri loved watching her namesake Charlotte perform in ballets and serve as Oklahoma’s Kid Governor. She delighted in Oliver’s sense of humor, his giant heart, and their shared love of sports–she loved watching him play soccer and playing pickleball and basketball with him. She was constantly entertained by Eliza’s singing, musical theater, and gymnastics. She loved having her grandchildren over for sleepovers, baking them brownies for breakfast, and taking them to as many different places to eat as necessary to please each one of them. She loved traveling the world with dear friends and family. She loved every second with her daughter McKenzie. She loved laughing with her siblings and celebrating her nieces and nephews and cousins and their children. She loved watching McKenzie and Matt’s wedding video and wearing toe socks. She loved mean birthday cards and roller coasters.

Cheri was preceded in death by her parents Carolyn and Bill, her older sister Lynne, and her infant son. She leaves behind her daughter K. McKenzie Anderson, her son-in-law Matthew P. Anderson, her grandchildren Charlotte, Oliver, and Eliza, her brother Chuck (Ann), and her sister Kitty. She also leaves behind her ex-husband David High, her brother-in-law Glen Carlson, and her beloved nieces and nephews: Brooke Carlson Morrow (Jeff), Reagan Carlson Leslie (John), Bo Buescher (Katelin), Bon Buescher, Baylee Maes, Jake Bonsteel (Melissa), and Sam Bonsteel, plus grandnieces, grandnephews, treasured cousins, and the dearest of friends, including Kim McBride.

The celebration of her life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City. If you choose, donations can be made to the Dragonfly Home in her memory.