Clarence Bonnes, age 82, of Zeeland, Michigan, formerly of Ocheyedan, Iowa, passed away on December 31, 2013 at a hospital in Zeeland.
Funeral Services will be Monday, January 6, 2014 at 11:00 A.M. at Ocheyedan Christian Reformed Church in Ocheyedan. Rev. Bill Van Der Heide and Rev. Mark Bonnes officiating.
Burial in the Ocheyedan Township Cemetery in Ocheyedan.
Visitation will be Monday, from 9:00 to 11:00 A.M. at church, prior to the Funeral Service.
Online Expressions of Sympathy can be sent to www.andringafuneralhome.com
The Andringa Funeral Home of Sibley and Ocheyedan in charge of arrangements for Clarence Bonnes.
Clarence Dale Bonnes was born to Cornelius and Kate (Westra) Bonnes on October 11, 1931 at Melvin Iowa. He was the youngest of nine children and spent his youth with his parents farming in the Northwest Iowa and Southwest Minnesota region. In 1952, he joined the United States Air Force and spent most of this time flying as a crewmember aboard B-29 and B-26 aircraft during the Korean Conflict.
On December 30, 1952, Clarence took Everdeane Zylstra to be his wife. God blessed this marriage with five children: Dwight, James, Keith, Phillip and Marvin.
In 1960, because of family needs Clarence moved his family to the Chicagoland area where he worked as a truck mechanic for a trucking company for many years. In the early 1980’s Clarencemade a career change by starting to serve the Christian community as the school bus operations manager at the Timothy Christian School system.
In 1991, because of declining health, Clarence retired from the Timothy Christian School system. During his retirement years he loved to spend time with his grandchildren and was involved in their lives, especially during summer holidays when a lot of time was spent camping with his children and grandchildren. Clarence and Everdeane were also given time to travel to the Rocky Mountains. He loved to enjoy viewing God’s creation in these special places.
As Clarence’s health continued to decline, the decision was made to leave the Chicagoland area and move into a retirement community in Zeeland, Michigan where it would be much easier for him to live. He was a member of the North Street Christian Reformed Church in Zeeland.
On December 31, 2013, Clarence was called home by his Lord and King Jesus Christ. During Clarence’s life he knew joy and sorrow, peace and adversity, pain and suffering, but through it all he knew that Jesus Christ was his Lord and Savior and was guiding his life and the lives of his family.
Please join the Bonnes Family as we give thanks to God for Clarence’s life on this earth.
Those left to cherish his memories are his wife of 61 years, Everdeane Bonnes; his children: Dwight and Beth Bonnes of the Chicagoland area, Keith and Beth Bonnes of Holland, MI, Phillip and Debra Bonnes of Naperville, IL, Marvin and Sherri Bonnes of Dacula, GA; 13 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren; 3 sisters: Engelena Riemersma of Bellflower, CA, Inez Hoftyzer of Worthington, MN, Wilmyna and Fred Graves of Georgia; in-laws: Dorothy Post of Sibley, IA, Kathy Zylstra of Sibley, IA, Kathleen Zylstra of Ocheyeden, IA and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Clarence was preceded in death by his parents; his son James Dale Bonnes in 1979; 2 brothers: John and Gertrude Bonnes, Ed and Gertrude Bonnes; 3 sisters: Doris and Joe Wassenaar, Kathryn and John Meurs, Camellia Post.
