Honoring Daisy Bonner: Restoring the Grave of FDR's Beloved Cook
Behind every great leader stands a team of dedicated people who make history possible. For President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one of those people was Daisy Bonner, the remarkable woman who cooked his first and last meals at the Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia. Now, we need your help to restore her final resting place.
Help Us Honor a Remarkable Woman
Daisy Bonner cooked President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first and last meals at the Little White House in Warm Springs. For years, she served with quiet dedication during some of America's most challenging times. When FDR died on April 12, 1945, she memorialized her service by writing on the kitchen wall: "Daisy Bonner cook the first meal and the last for the President Roosevelt in this cottage."
Today, Daisy and her husband Jack rest in a grave on Leverett Hill Road in Warm Springs. We're raising funds to restore their gravesite to its original condition, add an interpretive sign, and to create a restored border—giving them the gravesite they deserve.
Every donation helps preserve Georgia's history and honors those who served behind the scenes.
Daisy Bonner served as FDR's cook at the Little White House for more than a decade
A Life of Service and Dedication
Born in 1903, Daisy Peyton grew up in a world of profound change and challenge. After graduating from high school in 1921, she later became a cook at the Meriweather Inn in Warm Springs, where she first met Franklin D. Roosevelt. When FDR built his personal retreat, the Little White House, in 1932, Daisy became his trusted cook—a position she would hold for the next until his death.
For years, Daisy Bonner nourished not just the body but the spirit of a president who led America through the Great Depression and World War II. She was there through triumph and tragedy, through the challenging years that shaped our nation's history. Her dedication to her work and to President Roosevelt earned her a special place in the story of the Little White House.
A Touch of Immortality
On April 12, 1945, Daisy was at the Little White House when President Roosevelt died. In what must have been a moment of profound emotion, she picked up a pencil and wrote on the wall behind the stove words that would echo through history:
Those words remain visible today—a testament to her devotion and an intimate glimpse into the human side of presidential history. They tell a story of service, loyalty, and the quiet dignity of someone who witnessed history from behind the scenes.
Daisy's grave on Leverett Hill Road, currently in need of restoration
Reclaiming a Forgotten Legacy
Daisy died in April of 1958. She and her husband, Jack Bonner, were laid to rest together on their property on Leverett Hill Road in Warm Springs. In the seven decades since their deaths, nature deteriorated their grave sites.
In 2023, volunteers with the Friends of Roosevelt's Little White House and members of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Warm Springs Memorial Advisory Committee undertook the effort of confirming the location of the graves. On the discovery of the metal marker identifying Daisy Bonner's grave, the site was cleared of brush and overgrowth. Since then, the good people of Leverett Hill Baptist Church, under the leadership of Reverend Tracey Neal, have maintained the site at no cost to the Bonner family.
A Vision for Restoration
Volunteers from these organizations have now launched an ambitious project to give Daisy and Jack Bonner the dignified memorial they deserve. The restoration will proceed in several phases:
Phase 1: Remove the deteriorating concrete block border and replace it with a new, permanent border
Phase 2: Provide simple granite stones to properly mark the graves of Daisy and Jack Bonner
Phase 3: Install an interpretive marker that tells Daisy's remarkable story to visitors and future generations
The site where Daisy Bonner rests, awaiting restoration
Why This Matters
Daisy Bonner's story reminds us that history is made not just by presidents and generals, but by everyday people whose dedication and service make greatness possible. She was there during some of America's most challenging times, providing comfort and sustenance to a president who shouldered enormous burdens. Her loyalty and hard work helped FDR face each day, and her witness to history deserves to be remembered and honored.
This restoration project is about more than restoring a gravesite. It's about preserving Georgia's history and ensuring that stories like Daisy's are not lost to time. It's about recognizing the dignity of work and the importance of every person who contributed to the moments that shaped our nation. And it's about teaching future generations that history is made by all of us—not just the famous names, but the cooks, the caretakers, and the countless others who served with quiet dedication.
Join Us in Honoring Her Memory
The work ahead requires resources—materials for the new border, granite markers, an interpretive sign, and other site enhancements. We're asking the community to come together to give Daisy and Jack Bonner the restored gravesite they deserve.
Your contribution will help ensure that visitors to Warm Springs can learn about Daisy's remarkable life and her connection to one of America's most beloved presidents. Every donation brings us closer to completing this meaningful restoration and preserving an important piece of Georgia's history.
Support the Daisy Bonner Grave Restoration
Prefer to Mail a Donation?
If you prefer to send a donation via check, make it payable to Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites and place "Daisy Bonner" in the memo field. Then mail it to:
Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites
799 West Ave., Suite 104
Cartersville, GA 30120
Please be sure to note "Daisy Bonner" in your check's memo line to ensure your donation goes directly to this restoration project.
Your gift will help preserve Georgia's history and honor the memory of a remarkable woman who served with dignity and dedication.