1928
Irene
2009
Irene Marie Bonner
January 13, 1928 — July 15, 2009
AuTrain
Irene Bonner, age 81, of the Whispering Pines Care Facility in Chatham and formerly of AuTrain, died in the emergency room of Marquette General Hospital on Wednesday afternoon, July 15, 2009. She was born on January 13, 1928 in Munising to the late John and Selma (Maki) Johnson. Irene graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in 1946 and then worked summers on Mackinaw Island. On August 14, 1948, she married her best friend and love of her life, Fred "Bill" Bonner. Irene worked briefly for the Peoples State Bank and then stayed home to raise their family. She was a loving and wonderful mother and Irene and Bill opened up their home to foster children. She was a member of the Eden Lutheran Church in Munising and then the Calvary Free Lutheran Church in Eben. Bill and Irene enjoyed traveling and helping people, so they volunteered for ten years for Mobile Missionaries Assistance Program. They traveled east to west and from Mexico to Alaska with the Christian nondenominational construction program. They helped build churches, homes, Bible camps, and orphanages across the country. She loved to garden and to play mind challenging games, puzzles and cards, especially when she could play them with her kids and grandkids. She taught her children and grandchildren how to cook, sew, and bake, and Irene was the best fisherman in the family.
She is survived by her their children - Catherine (Don) Mickelson of Munising, Janet (Leif) Benson of Scottsville, VA, Tim (Deb) Bonner of Wendell, NC, Laurel Bonner of AuTrain, Lissa (Brian) Ward of Manitowoc, WI; foster daughter - Cheryl Wakkuri of Raleigh, NC; eight grandchildren - Dan Mickelson, Shandy Hallford, Tiffany Coffey, Shelly Bonner, Jeremiah Bonner, Laurel Jones, Crista Ward, and Kayte Ward; fourteen great-grandchildren; sister-in-law - Bonita LeVeque of Munising; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. Irene was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of over fifty-eight years, Bill, on August 31, 2006; a grandson, Scott William Mickelson, on September 4, 1995; sister Elaine Johnson; and brother Salty Johnson.
Services will be held at the Calvary Free Lutheran Church in Eben on Saturday, July 18, 2009. Visitation will be from 12:00 noon until 2:00 p.m. Pastor Tom Schierkolk will conduct Irene's service at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising at a later date.
Irene Bonner, age 81, of the Whispering Pines Care Facility in Chatham and formerly of AuTrain, died in the emergency room of Marquette General Hospital on Wednesday afternoon, July 15, 2009. She was born on January 13, 1928 in Munising to the late John and Selma (Maki) Johnson. Irene graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in 1946 and then worked summers on Mackinaw Island. On August 14, 1948, she married her best friend and love of her life, Fred "Bill" Bonner. Irene worked briefly for the Peoples State Bank and then stayed home to raise their family. She was a loving and wonderful mother and Irene and Bill opened up their home to foster children. She was a member of the Eden Lutheran Church in Munising and then the Calvary Free Lutheran Church in Eben. Bill and Irene enjoyed traveling and helping people, so they volunteered for ten years for Mobile Missionaries Assistance Program. They traveled east to west and from Mexico to Alaska with the Christian nondenominational construction program. They helped build churches, homes, Bible camps, and orphanages across the country. She loved to garden and to play mind challenging games, puzzles and cards, especially when she could play them with her kids and grandkids. She taught her children and grandchildren how to cook, sew, and bake, and Irene was the best fisherman in the family.
She is survived by her their children - Catherine (Don) Mickelson of Munising, Janet (Leif) Benson of Scottsville, VA, Tim (Deb) Bonner of Wendell, NC, Laurel Bonner of AuTrain, Lissa (Brian) Ward of Manitowoc, WI; foster daughter - Cheryl Wakkuri of Raleigh, NC; eight grandchildren - Dan Mickelson, Shandy Hallford, Tiffany Coffey, Shelly Bonner, Jeremiah Bonner, Laurel Jones, Crista Ward, and Kayte Ward; fourteen great-grandchildren; sister-in-law - Bonita LeVeque of Munising; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. Irene was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of over fifty-eight years, Bill, on August 31, 2006; a grandson, Scott William Mickelson, on September 4, 1995; sister Elaine Johnson; and brother Salty Johnson.
Services will be held at the Calvary Free Lutheran Church in Eben on Saturday, July 18, 2009. Visitation will be from 12:00 noon until 2:00 p.m. Pastor Tom Schierkolk will conduct Irene's service at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising at a later date.
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