Richard G. Bonnema

RICHARD BONNEMA, 82, of Sioux Center, Iowa died Sunday, 4/10, at the Sioux Center Community Nursing Facility.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, 4/13, at 11am at Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Stephen Rhoda officiating. Interment will be held prior to the memorial service in Lebanon Cemetery of rural Sioux Center.

A prayer service will be held prior to the interment on Wednesday at 9:30am at the Memorial Funeral Home.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, 4/12, from 2pm to 8pm, with the family present from 6:30pm to 8pm at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.

The Bonnema Family prefers memorials to the Sioux Center Christian School.

Richard George Bonnema was born 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 farm for the US Army. 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 corn. 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, & readingsometimes 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 familiesVicki & 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 husbandsBetty & 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.

Rich Bonnema was called home to be with God Sunday, April 10, 2005, at the age of 82 years. We will all be keeping memories in our hearts of his ready smile, his wonderful sense of humor, his caring & gentle nature, & most of all, his unconditional love & support as our husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, & friend.

He was a peaceable man; he lived his life in peace, and now he lives in God's perfect peace. "Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:18