Elizabeth Bonham

Elizabeth "Bette" Bonham, age 93, of Willmar, died Sunday morning, May 3, at Homestead Place North Senior Living Community in Benson.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Thursday, May 7, at the United Methodist Church in Willmar. Interment will be at Fairview Cemetery in Willmar. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and one hour prior to the service at the church.

Elizabeth Florence "Bette" Bonham was born August 29, 1921, in Crookston, Minnesota, the daughter of Sidney and Mary (McNair) Tayler.  She grew up in Crookston and graduated from Crookston High School.  She attended nurses training at St. Michael's Hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota.  She moved to Willmar in 1943 and began working as a surgical nurse at Rice Memorial Hospital.  On June 3, 1948, she married  George Bonham and they made their home in Willmar.  She then worked as a private duty nurse until 1952 when she stopped working to raise her family.  In 1964, she began working as a nursing supervisor at Rice Memorial Hospital.  She later worked as the Director of Nursing at Bethesda Homes, Emergency Room Supervisor at Rice Memorial Hospital, Registered Nurse for Presbyterian Family Foundation, Ashwood Health Care Center Nursing Supervisor and In-Service Director, and at Glen Oaks Care Center in New London.  In retirement, she wintered in Texas for many years but continued working with Hospice there.

Bette was very active in the community and enjoyed serving others.  She was involved with the Does and American Legion Auxiliary.  She was an active member of the United Methodist Church and served with the Women's Association, Mary Circle, and as a Sunday school teacher and youth group leader.  She enjoyed painting, golfing, playing tennis, and walking her dogs.

She is survived by two children,  Mary Beth Bonham of Benson and Judd Bonham of Kimball; four grandchildren, Kristina (and Roger) Moy, Brandon Smith, Ali Bonham (and Brandon Kuechle), and Suzannah Bonham; seven great-grandchildren, Brooque, Malakye, Nataliah, Aubrey, Ameilyah, Gracelyn and Isaac; and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George in 1998; and two brothers, Arthur and William.

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