Bonnie M. Brown, 93, of Gering, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 13, 2022, at Heritage Estates in Gering. Her memorial service will be held at 2pm on Friday, May 20, 2022, at the United Methodist Church in Gering with Pastor Seth Leypoldt officiating. Inurnment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Scottsbluff. It is respectfully requested that in lieu of any flowers, memorials in Bonnie’s honor be made in care of the church. Online condolences may be made by viewing Bonnie’s memorial page at www.bridgmanfunealhome.com. Bridgman Family Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Scottsbluff is entrusted with arrangements.
Bonnie was born July 8, 1928, on the family dairy farm west of Morrill, Nebraska to Jack and Octavia (Baumgarter) Schultz. She graduated from Morrill High School in 1946 and continued her education at what was then, Scottsbluff Jr. College. She worked 4 years for an attorney, 2 years for U.S. Public Health, and retired in 1990 from RWMC after 31 years of service.
She married Willard ‘Duane’ Brown on November 21, 1951, in the Presbyterian Church in Morrill, Nebraska. To this union 2 children were born, Jana Lynn Sankey and Douglas Duane Brown. Bonnie and Duane spent much of their married life in Gering, where Duane was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad for 42 years.
Bonnie and Duane enjoyed 65 wonderful years together and shared countless special memories. They enjoyed traveling, camping, hunting, and going to casinos. They were fortunate to engage in many fishing trips to the west coast, Canada, and Alaska. In their 21 years of retirement, they traveled in their RV and spent many winter months in Arizona, making many special friends along the way.
Bonnie so very much enjoyed her family. Spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren was one of the most important and fun things in her life. She will be dearly missed.
She is survived by her daughter, Jana Sankey, son Doug Brown, 3 grandchildren Jamie Brown, Andrea (Ryan) Lohr, Richard (Amber) Sankey, 7 great grandchildren, and 3 step great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Duane, her parents Jack and Octavia Schultz, brothers John and Lester and wives, and sister Virginia McDonald and husband.
