Bonnie M. Neumayr passed away Aug. 18, 2013, at the age of 88 of natural causes and in the caring hands of the Oahe Manor staff in Gettysburg.
Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 23, 2013, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Gettysburg, with Fr. Jerry Kopel officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, with a scripture service at 7 p.m. at the church.
Bonnie Marie Gidley was born on May 15, 1925, in rural Gettysburg to Ray and Sophie (Kilian) Gidley, both families being early Potter County settlers. She attended the Warren Country School and graduated from Gettysburg High School in 1942. Following graduation from high school, she moved to Denver, Colo., with her sister Alice Edwards to attend business school. While attending business school, there was a job opening at the Veterans Administration for which she applied. Bonnie got the job, quit business school and worked for the VA until after the end of World War II.
Upon returning to Gettysburg, she was working for James Tate, a local veterinarian, when her future husband came to Gettysburg to practice law with Ken Morgan. Joe and Dr. Tate were roommates at the Earl and Leona Olsen home and that was how he met Bonnie. They were married in Gettysburg on Feb. 6, 1951, and made their home in Gettysburg for the past 62 years. For many years, Bonnie was a mainstay in her husband's law office and worked side by side with him on numerous community and church activities.
Beginning in 1994, they spent a number of winters in Mesa, Ariz., until health problems prevented traveling. Like her mother, Bonnie loved flowers. Once when taking care of the altar decorations at her church, she got some peonies from a local gardener. The flowers were loaded with ants which weren't discovered until later that night by Father (now Msgr.) McPhee. The flowers were easy to remove but the ants were a problem. She enjoyed cooking and crafts and was a great music lover, especially the family circle around the piano after family gatherings.
Summing her up in a simple statement: "Bonnie loved life and her family and always took care of them to the best of her ability."
Bonnie was a devout member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and was a lifelong member of the Altar Society.
She is survived by her husband, Joe; son, Mark and his wife, Debra (Schaefer) Neumayr, of Flagstaff, Ariz.; daughter, Paula and her husband, Tom Bailey, of Gettysburg; granddaughter, Ann Baughcum; and great-grandsons: Anson and Aaron Baughcum of Winder, Ga.
She was preceded in death by her parents; infant children, Mary Josephine and Anthony; brother, Lawrence Gidley; sisters: Gwen Gidley, Alice Edwards and Shirley Brown.
Memorials may be made to the Avera Oahe Manor, 700 E. Garfield Ave., Gettysburg, SD 57442.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Bonnie's arrangements.
familyfuneralhome.net23, 2013, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Aberdeen. Burial will be at 3:30 p.m. in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cogswell, N.D.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church, followed by a 7 p.m. vigil.
Geraldine passed away Aug. 17, 2013, at HCR ManorCare, Aberdeen, at the age of 105.
Arrangements by Price Funeral Chapel of Britton.
pricefuneralchapel.net