Bonnie Bethel Boden Peterson

Bonnie Bethel Boden Peterson was born on her family’s farm west of Harrison, SD, in Douglas County on Monday, June 5, 1933.  She was the 4th child of Kathryn (Murphy) and Joe Boden.  It was 110 degrees in the shade that day. Bonnie was raised in the Dirty Thirties, and became very thrifty and handy with tools, building shelves and toys out of peach boxes and scraps of lumber. (Some may remember that Bonnie is Gayla’s mom who wrote in the Pioneer Review in Nov. of 2022 about WW II through the eyes of a little girl.)
In 1938, the family moved to a farm three miles south of Beresford, SD, where Bonnie’s mother, Kathryn, homeschooled Bonnie in the first grade. Bonnie went to second grade at Gothland rural school, then third through twelfth in Beresford. After graduating from high school in 1951, Bonnie attended General Beadle Teachers’ College at Madison, SD, earning a certificate that qualified her to teach in a rural school. She lived with her parents that next year and taught Rainy Vale School three miles away.
On July 16, 1953, Bonnie married Clair Peterson. They farmed south of Fedora for 45 years. While living on the farm, Bonnie kept teaching, spending two years at Woodworth #3, five 1-month sessions of kindergarten in Fedora, a 3-month session of kindergarten at Farmer, 14 years as a tutor and teacher’s aide for Hanson School, and 14 years as a teacher’s aide at Artesian School. Other times she worked as a substitute teacher, on election boards and collecting for the ag census. Part-time jobs included working at Wrap-It in Howard, where she wrapped baseball cards, and at the Armour egg plant in Mitchell where she candled eggs.
After moving to Mitchell in 1996, Bonnie worked in the bakery at County Fair Foods for seven years, Firesteel and Brady Nursing Homes on weekends for five years, and eight years of weekdays at Goodwill. Bonnie retired Jan. 9, 2010, to enjoy time to read and sew. And a great seamstress she was! She sewed everything from clothing to curtains. She especially loved to sew quillows, a quilt that folded into a pillow, with a handle for carrying. Over time, she made more than 250 of them for all her grands and many friends. They were a hit at the family reunion auctions, as each one had a special theme.
Bonnie was a mom who read to her children, helping them be early readers. She was a teacher at heart and saw that her children got a good start. Bonnie said, “The best part of our life was our children. I wanted them to be close in age so they would have playmates. My siblings were 13, 9, and 5 when I was born. Living on a farm, I didn’t have any friends until I was older. I always wanted a sister my age.”
“We have three girls and three boys: Gayla Ann, Glenda Kay, Paul Clair, Lyle Jay, Guy Tod, and Pennie Joy. The year Gayla was six in April, Guy was born in August, so we had two girls and 3 boys under six years.  Thirteen years later, Pennie joined our family. Five teenagers and an infant.”   
Bonnie was 91 when she passed on July 25, 2024, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. She lived in her own home, until a recent fall. She had outlived her parents, her siblings and all her in-laws. Her husband, Clair died on May 7, 2005. She lost one son, Guy, at age 60, to cancer on August 13, 2020. Her son-in-law, Steve Davenport, lost his life to cancer on August 8, 2019.
Left with happy memories of Bonnie’s joyful smile and quick wit, are her children:  Gayla (Dan) Piroutek of Milesville, and their children, Erin and Amy; Glenda Davenport of Adair, OK, and her daughter, Caitlyn; Paul (Jeannie) Peterson of Blackwell, OK, and his children, Jennifer, Crystal, Curri, Travis, and Michayla; Lyle Peterson of Oklahoma City, OK, and his children, Tonya, David, and Jamie; Guy Peterson’s children, Adam, Ben, and Courtney; and Pennie (Jon) Tesch of Sioux City, IA. Bonnie had 20 great grandchildren.
As per Bonnie’s wishes, she was cremated, and the only service will be a private graveside service, at a later date, to be held at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Artesian, SD, where she will be buried next to her husband, Clair.
Cards may be sent to Gayla Piroutek, 20308 Milesville Rd, Milesville, SD 57553.