Age 83
Born in Elma, Iowa, on a small farm with her parents and seven siblings, Sister Bonita entered the Sisters of Mercy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the age of 21.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
For 19 years, she was an elementary school teacher in the Dubuque, Iowa, diocese, until she needed to retire for health reasons.
Bonnie struggled for many years with various health issues but that did not deter her from maintaining a positive attitude and sharing her humor with others. Despite her illness, she maintained a smile and even went into clowning as a way of spreading happiness to anyone she met.
A lifelong learner, she attended various workshops and classes to expand her horizons. She learned drum making and a variety of musical instruments. After her retirement, she volunteered in the gift shop at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and visited the residents in the connecting long term care unit.