Bonnie Jean (Namanny) Banks 1934 - 2024

BANKS, CHRISTIANSEN, NAMANNY

Posted By: Connie J Swearingen (email)
Date: 8/4/2024 at 16:23:14

The Mapleton Press
29 February 2024

Bonnie Jean (Namanny) Banks, 89, of Mapleton, Iowa, passed away Monday, February 19, 2024, at Horn Memorial Hospital, Ida Grove, Iowa, surrounded by family.

A celebration of life service will be 1:30 P.M. Sunday, June 2, 2024, at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Mapleton, Iowa, with Reverend Nathan Peitsch, officiating. A livestream of the service will be posted on the Goslar Funeral Home Website with Bonnie’s obituary. Burial will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery in Mapleton, Iowa. Arrangements are under the direction of Goslar Funeral Home and Monuments, Onawa, Iowa.

Bonnie Jean was warmly welcomed into this world on a very hot June 2, 1934, by her parents, Roy and Adeline (Christiansen) Namanny at their home near Charter Oak, Iowa. She was a bright, happy child starting school at the age of 4. In later years in helping with a reunion of the country school where she started her education she learned her parents were encouraged to send her to keep the school open due to low enrollment. She attended high school at Mapleton High School graduating as valedictorian in May 1951. She attended college 1 year at St. John’s College, Winfield, Kansas. During that summer she worked as a copywriter and had a radio program called “The Story Lady” on station KTRI in Sioux City. She enjoyed it so much she did not return to college in the fall. Later she worked as secretary to the manager of radio station KCOM which became Channel 4 KTIV-TV. Bonnie returned to St. John’s College to work and continue her degree but was only there one year as a handsome sailor, Bob Banks, proposed to her and they were married November 12, 1955.

In 1957 the couple decided to seed their fortune in California, living in the San Francisco area. They purchased a house in Daly City, bought a 1959 Edsel and welcomed their beautiful daughter, Robin in 1961. In 1965 they decided to return to Iowa to start farming. They lived on Bonnie’s parents’ farm until they purchased their own farm in 1970. In her “spare” time Bonnie was active at St. Matthew Lutheran Church — quilting, teaching Sunday school, editor of the church newsletter, active in LWML, secretary to the board of directors of the church, chairman of the stewardship board, and chairman of the church’s 100th anniversary. Bonnie was responsible for organizing and printing of a book on the stained-glass windows & paraments in the church. Bonnie also had several articles published in the “Our Iowa” Magazine.

Bonnie enjoyed planning events from birthday parties and retirement parties to the harvest festival and Fourth of July celebrations. She was instrumental in planning and organizing the first ever All School Reunion in 2005. She also had her own catering service for over 13 years. Bonnie was an excellent seamstress and enjoyed making things for her loved ones. When her daughter and younger sisters were little, she made them beautiful doll clothes and matching outfits. She also made Christmas outfits for Robin and her cousins, but her signature design was hooded baby bath towels. 3 generations of family and friends can proudly boast ownership of one of Bonnie’s “originals”.

Bonnie was a charter member of the Monona County Porkettes, served as secretary for several years receiving the Bell Ringer Award for outstanding work promoting pork. She was also a 4-H co-leader along with JoAnn Thies of the Maple Valley Morning Glories. She and Bob were very active on the Farm Crisis committee in the 1980’s, traveling to Washington DC to bring the problems to the politicians.

Once Robin left the nest Bonnie went to work for Welte Tax Service and continued when the business became Main Street Tax Service, retiring after 23 years. She and Bob traveled extensively over the years visiting 36 States including Alaska and Hawaii. They spent many holidays visiting their daughter and her family in Billings, MT. They also enjoyed camping and traveling in their RV. She and Bob began spending the winter months in Texas enjoying old time country music.

Bonnie lost her precious Bob on August 7, 2020. She joined him on February 19, 2024 no doubt for a concert at which Bonnie was the MC.

Survivors include her daughter, Robin Banks Alberti; grandchildren, Sierra Alberti, and Mariah Alberti; brothers, Dennis (Melinda) Namanny, and Allan (Karen) Namanny; sister, Patricia (Al) Namanny Smith; sister-in-law, Elaine Banks; and many other relatives, and friends.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Robert “Bob” Banks; parents, Roy and Adeline Namanny; sisters, Joyce (Robert) Namanny O’Daniel, Becky Namanny Young; brother, Donald Namanny; granddaughter, Ariana Alberti; niece, Christy (Namanny) Hamman; nephew, Dustin Namanny; parents-in-law, Ed and Dorothy (Marshall) Banks; sisters-in-law, Roberta (Arnold) Anderson, and Detta (Verlin) Stark; and brother-in-law, Gene Banks.

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen