Bonnie Belle Grefe

Bonnie Belle Clow was born on February 23, 1927 in Madelia, MN to Roy B. and Josephine A. (Boesch) Clow. She was baptized on May 1, 1927 at St. John's Lutheran Church-Antrim. Bonnie lived with her parents on her grandparents farm (Henry and Belle Clow) until March 1929 when the family moved to the August Ebert farm in Pleasant Mound Township, Blue Earth County. She attended school district 100 (the same as her mother and her siblings attended) for 8 years. She then attended Truman High School. Bonnie worked at several different places in Truman. She was confirmed on Dec. 31, 1947 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman. On March 28, 1948 she married Erhardt F. Grefe at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. They made their home in Truman where Erhardt was employed at the Public Utilities for over 36 years, first as an operator for 8 years and then as a manager in 1956 until his death in December of 1984. Bonnie was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Naomi Circle, Life Member of the Lutheran Retirement Home Auxiliary, the Legion Auxiliary. She loved spending time with family, bird watching and feeding, gardening, coffee time with friends and crocheting. Bonnie died on Monday, October 13, 2014 at Sanford Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD. Bonnie is survived by four children, Robert (Barbara) Grefe, Truman, Mary (Gerald) Milow, Fairmont, MN, Betty (Larry) Traughber, West Okoboji, IA, Laura (Eldon) Potthoff, Dunnell, MN; 10 grandchildren, Margie, Deb and Blake, Chad, Lisa and Josh, Bryan and Alissa, Sarah and Nicholas; 18 great grandchildren; 1 brother, Roy "Sig? (Irene) Clow; 2 sisters, JoAnne Grani, Pomona, CA, Elaine (Larry) Armstrong, Truman, MN; 1 sister-in-law, Allene Clow, Truman; 2 brothers-in-law, Virgil Hammerschmidt, New Ulm, MN, James Payne, Truman, MN; and many nieces, nephews and friends. Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; 1 brother, Tony; 3 sisters, Carole Payne, Odell Payne, Kareen Hammerschmidt; two infant brothers.