August 5, 1948 – September 12, 2024
Bonnie Boysen, 76, of Bismarck, ND and formerly of Firesteel, passed away Thursday, September 12, 2024, at Fallon Medical Complex in Baker, MT.
Funeral services for Bonnie will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, September 20, 2024, at the Isabel Community Center. Burial will be in the Hillview Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services.
Bonnie Marie Morningstar was born on August 5, 1948 in Mobridge to Leroy Morningstar and Genieve (Scott) Morningstar. She started her life on her grandparents’ ranch near Bullhead.
Genieve and Bonnie moved to Timber Lake in 1952. In 1953 Genieve married Gilbert Elder and they moved to the Elder family farm northeast of Timber Lake.
She attended Long Butte Country School through 8th grade riding her horse two miles. During her childhood she learned her love of gardening, cooking, embroidery, and sewing from her mother as she completed many projects in 4-H. She graduated from Timber Lake High School in 1966.
After high school Bonnie worked at the ASCS office in Timber Lake and later was employed with the Tri-County Library until early 1968. She retold many fond memories of riding the Book-Mobile.
One of Bonnie’s friends, Shirley Sandquist, introduced Bonnie (TLHS) and Bernie (IHS) while in high school. In 1966, following graduation Bonnie and Bernie got married on August 21, 1966, in the Methodist church in Timber Lake. They made their home on the Boysen family ranch west of Firesteel where they raised cattle and sheep. Bernie eventually assumed the daily operations from his parents, Emil and Irene Boysen. In 1968, Iris Joan was born.
In 1976, Bonnie started her 30year career in the Postal Service. Her career began as a leave replacement for Tillie Klein at Firesteel. Eventually she became the postmaster and moved the post office to the Country Store when they purchased it. In 1984, she started a job as a mail carrier in Rapid City. In 1985, she became the postmaster of the Bullhead Post Office, and later, at the McLaughlin Post Office, where she served for 5 years. In 1992, Bonnie began working as the postmaster in Isabel and retired in 2007, completing her goal of retiring from the Isabel Post Office.
Bonnie was a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She held many different positions including president of the local and district groups.
Around 1978, Bonnie started her cake decorating business after she made the 25th anniversary cake for her parents. As the years went by, she made wood fiber and silk flowers, wedding cakes, mints for many, many weddings as well as birthday cakes. Flower gardens were a love of Bonnie’s, and many beautiful flowers were grown each year.
Over the years, as many as 21 foster children were welcomed into their home.
In 1982, Kayla and Kyle were adopted. This was a joy for Bonnie and Bernie to add to their family. As the years went by, foreign exchange students were welcomed which included Dominic Casparis from Switzerland; Heidi Saday from Denmark; Umar Shavurov from Kyrgyzstan; and Jochen Knapp from Germany.
Bonnie and Bernie’s life was always filled with people. Bonnie made breakfast on Sunday for anyone who came to eat. Holidays were spent with all the chairs and tables filled with family, neighbors and anyone who didn’t have a place to go. The house was filled with grandchildren who stayed as often as possible.
When Bonnie and Bernie retired, they moved to Bismarck. They enjoyed meeting new neighbors and making new friends.
Bonnie is survived by her husband, Bernard; children: Iris (Bobby) Wiedmer of Plevna, MT, Kayla (Matthew) Kennedy of Mitchell and Kyle (Char) Boysen of Isabel; grandchildren, Rebecca (Dustin) Jordan, Bailey (Ashli) Wiedmer, Charlie Boysen, Evelyn Kennedy, and Johnathan, Katarina, Wyatt, Hermione, River and Maddoc Boysen; five great-grandchildren, Alan, Sierra, and Ryler Wiedmer, and Leonidas and Maximus Jordan; siblings Allan Elder of Box Elder, Carol (Jim) Reh of Sapulpa, OK, and Elaine (Dennis) Neigel of Eagle Butte, and Aunt Lorraine Gouldin of Spearfish.
Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, Leroy Morningstar, Genieve Elder, and Gilbert Elder; brother Francis Elder; sister Darlene Elder; and grandparents Harry and Pearl Scott and Jess and Johanna Elder.
Memorial donations will go to the American Legion Auxiliary in Isabel or UCC Church in Isabel.
(Iris Wiedmer’s address is 6466 Hwy 12, Plevna, MT 59344.)