Bonnema, Richard G. 1923-2005

BONNEMA, DEKKER, HUENINK

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 1/21/2012 at 08:32:39

Richard G. Bonnema
February 22, 1923 - April 10, 2005
Age: 82 years, 1 month, 19 days
Service: April 13, 2005, Bethel Christian Reformed Church, Sioux Center, Iowa
Interment: Lebanon Cemetery, Lebanon, Iowa
Rich Bonnema was called home to be with God Sunday, April 10, 2005, at the age of 82 years.
Richard George Bonnema was bom on February 22, 1923. He was given the middle name of George because of George Washington's birthday. He was the first child born to Albert & Henrietta (Dekker) Bonnema in the rural Ireton area.
He spent his childhood on various farms in the Hawarden area & attended rural country schools through the eighth grade. He often rode his pony to school when the weather was good. He attended the Lebanon Christian Reformed Church where he met his future wife at a young people's Sunday night Bible study group. On February 15,1944, Rich & Alma (Huenink) were married at Alma's parents' home near Firth, Nebraska. They purchased a farm just over a mile from his parents & began farming.
But WWII intervened & in 1945, he left the family for the US Amy. He was on a ship headed toward the South Pacific when the peace treaty was signed so he took on the role of a military policeman in occupied Tokyo, Japan. After being discharged, he returned to the farm with his wife Alma, farming & selling Pioneer seed com.
He attended Lebanon Church where he was on council & taught Sunday school for many years. They farmed until the late 1980's with their last years on the farm spent planning & building their new home in Sioux Center, Iowa. He continued to work part-time for the City of Sioux Center, Kalsbeck Construction, & the Vet Clinic at the sale barn. Rich & Alma traveled extensively, visiting friends & relatives. They enjoyed camping & became "winter Texans," going to Mission, Texas for many years. They moved to the Regency in Sioux Center in 2002. Rich enjoyed traveling, drinking coffee with his friends, woodworking, yard work, fishing, & reading—sometimes to his great grandchildren. He always had time for people & loved to spend time talking with them. Every time he was asked how he was doing, his answer to his last days was, "Oh, pretty good."
Rich is survived by his cherished wife Alma of 61 years; three daughters & their families—Vicki & Wayne De Jong of Oskaloosa, Iowa, Sharlene Bonnema of Sioux City, Iowa, Arliss & Ken Dokter of Sioux Center, Iowa; seven grandchildren & their spouses, nine great grandchildren, two sisters & their husbands—Betty & Rich De Boom and Alberta & Norm Horstman, both of
Sioux Center.
Rich was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Verna Bonnema &
an infant brother Albert Wayne.
Source: Memorial Funeral Home, Sioux Center, IA., obit.