Boerner, Bonita (Bonnie) (1920 - 2018)

BOERNER, NELSON, BOYER, BRODSKY, KENNEY, STANLEY, SKARIN

Posted By: Carol Auen (email)
Date: 8/16/2019 at 17:41:44

Bonita "Bonnie" Boerner
August 5, 1920 - April 25, 2018

Bonita “Bonnie” Boerner, age 97, of Odebolt, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at the Horn Memorial Hospital of Ida Grove, Iowa.

Bonita (Bonnie) Viola Nelson Boerner was born on a farm near Kiron, Iowa, on August 5, 1920, the oldest of the seven children of Sidney and Sophia Nelson. She died peacefully after a brief illness at Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove, Iowa, on April 25, 2018 at the age of 97. She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph, her parents, two brothers, and two sisters.

Bonnie grew up on a farm near Odebolt, and graduated from Odebolt High School in 1937 at the age of 16. She took “normal” training during and after high school to prepare her to teach country school, and taught at the Levy Township #5 school for two years.

She first met Ralph Boerner, the youngest of the five sons of John and Lena Boerner, when she worked as a “summer girl” for Mrs. Boerner. They were married on September 8, 1939, in Cherokee, Iowa and enjoyed 67 years together before Ralph’s death in 2007.

Bonnie and Ralph farmed near Odebolt for the next 44 years, retiring to a house in town in 1984. During that time they raised four children. Bonnie enjoyed gardening and always had a large vegetable garden, but her real love was flowers. She was proud to have been awarded the Yard of the Month for rural Odebolt in 1976. She was a good bowler and was in a women’s bowling league in Odebolt for many years. She also enjoyed many fishing trips with Ralph and their friends.

Bonnie took great delight in her grandchildren, and they all have fond memories of her. She and Ralph enjoyed attending many of their sports and other activities over the years. During her long life she was privileged to have the opportunity to enjoy great-grandchildren and even a great-great-granddaughter.

Bonnie is survived by her daughter, Diane B Boyer (Stan) of Charleston, SC, sons Gary J Boerner (Diane) of Gowrie, IA, Merle D Boerner (Jean) of West Des Moines, IA, and Randy R Boerner (Gail) of Dundee,
If you'd like to include a link to another page with your message,OR; six grandchildren: Peris Brodsky, Michele Kenney, Jeff Boerner, Wendy Stanley, Brad Boerner, and Brian Boerner; 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild; a sister, Carole Skarin of Lake View, IA and a brother, Sidney Nelson, Jr. of Wall Lake, IA. She will be greatly missed by all her family.