Hammerstrom, Bonnie Jean 1930 - 2005

HAMMERSTROM, RABY, UTESCH

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/15/2011 at 00:19:29

Bonnie J. Hammerstrom

Bonnie Jean Hammerstrom, 75, of Plant City, Fla., and formerly of Akron and Sioux City, died Sunday, Sept. 18, 2005, at her residence in Plant City following an eight-month illness with brain cancer.

Bonnie was born Aug. 14, 1930, on the family farm south of Akron, the daughter of Herbert and Mathilda (Utesch) Raby. She attended a country grade school and graduated from Akron High School. She moved to Sioux City and worked as a secretary at Cudahy Packing Co. and later worked at Nedham Dressed Beef in the billing department.

She was united in marriage to Robert "Bob" Hammerstrom on April 16, 1954, at First Presbyterian Church. Bob was employed with Swift & Co. They soon were transferred to St. Paul, Minn., and later moved to Oak Brook, Ill., where he was personnel manager at Swift's Research and Development Center. They later moved to Plant City, Fla.

Bonnie was a former member of the First Presbyterian Church in Sioux City. She enjoyed watching NFL football, especially the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, collecting antique glassware, reading, walking, fishing and her grandchildren and their activities. She loved the beauty of the rolling hills of Iowa and South Dakota.

Bonnie was a friend to many with her great personality, sense of humor and her friendly smile that captivated all who knew her. She valued the life she was able to live and even with her cancer progressing she would say, "I believe life is wonderful." She was a proud and loving person.

Survivors include a son, Dr. Steven Hammerstrom and his wife, Marlene, and their children, Mia and Chase of Dakota Dunes, S.D.; a daughter, Debra Palermo and her husband, Frank, and their children Heather and Anna of Plant City, Fla.; a brother and sister-in-law, James and JoAnn Fowler of McCook Lake, S.D.; and uncle and aunt, Delbert and Clara Raby of rural Merrill; three nieces, Kristin Marx of McCook Lake, S.D., Lynn Paulsen and her husband, Mark, of Sioux City and Diane Hirsch of Westminster, Colo.; five nephews, Mary Raby of Thornton, Colo., John Raby of Superior, Colo., Bob Raby of Sioux Falls, S.D.; Jeff Raby of Liberty Square, and Craig Raby of Phoenix, Ariz.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert on May 13, 1998; her parents; two brothers, Kenneth and Dawayne and his wife, Gayle; and her mother and father-in-law, Howard and Florence Hammerstrom.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Calvin Chapel of First Presbyterian Church in Sioux City with the Rev. William Love officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Valley Cemetery, rural Merrill. Visitation with the family present will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today (Thursday) at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel, 3220 Stone Park Blvd., Sioux City.

Memorials may be given to the June E. Nylen Cancer Center in Sioux City.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Le Mars Daily Sentinel
Le Mars, Iowa