A Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper
Catherine Pearl Bonham, Aurelia, passed away peacefully at Accura Nursing Home, Cherokee, on June 21, 2024.
Celebration of Life services will take place Thursday, July 18, at 2 p.m. at Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. Condolences can be sent to P.O. Box 343, Cherokee, IA 51012.
Catherine was born July 18, 1930, to Ernest Dix and Dorothy (Unmack) Dix. She was baptized and confirmed in Missouri Valley, and graduated from Missouri Valley High School.
Catherine (aka Caite) Pearl Dix married Clifford Bonham on Aug. 19, 1949, at First Lutheran Church in Missouri Valley. Five children were born to this union.
Catherine went to work at a very young age. One of her first paying jobs was taking care of a young boy in the Omaha area whose father was a businessman and recently widowed. Working as a nanny, far from home, she saved enough money to surprise her parents with their first refrigerator and purchased a brand-new bicycle for her six younger siblings at home to share. Catherine became a schoolteacher and walked several miles each morning to ring the school bell at Pleasant Valley, a one room schoolhouse.
Catherine also worked as a waitress at Sunnyside Café in Missouri Valley. There, she met her future husband, Clifford, sitting at a table with a couple of friends enjoying breakfast. While on his way out the door, he took his receipt to his waitress, Catherine, and told her he was over- charged. It was after this encounter that he returned several times for pie and coffee, eventually asking Catherine for a date. Clifford later proposed and married Catherine in Missouri Valley.
Clifford worked at the local Safeway store in the meat department. They purchased their first home and became parents to two sons and two daughters: David Allen, Christine JoAnn, Sue Ellen and Daniel L. Jay. Clifford accepted a job transfer to Storm Lake as the meat department manager of the newly built Safeway store in the late 50s. Clifford and Catherine purchased a home on Fourth Street in Storm Lake near the lake. In 1960, a fifth child was born, Carolyn Jeanette. In 1965 they built a new home on Oak Lane in Storm Lake. Catherine began working at the G Store located on Main Street. After their two oldest children were married, they sold their home and purchased a home on Larchwood Street, just a half block from the lake, as Clifford enjoyed fishing. Catherine started working at the Rexall Drug Store. Catherine studied and received her real estate license in the early 70s, and began selling homes for Action Reality. After the remainder of their children left home, they sold their home and moved to Des Moines, where they worked for AIB College of Business as house parents. Later, they purchased their final home on Sixth Street in Aurelia, eventually enjoying full retirement and creating their dream garden full of roses, yarrow, Lily of the Valley, large lily varieties and any and all perennials and wildflowers they could find. The Bonham garden has been featured many times in local newspapers. Clifford and Catherine took pride in their constant tending to the garden, later viewing their work and enjoying a glass of iced tea in the evening.
Catherine enjoyed reading and writing at an early age. Her siblings often found her in a tree reading her favorite books. Catherine started to write poetry before she was 10-years-old and by the age of 93, she had thousands of poems, many published in the Iowa Poets Association through the annual Iowa Lyrical Competition, including “The Flag on the Moon,” winning first place, that was framed and shared at the White House. Catherine enjoyed pressing flowers and creating beautiful cards, often including her poetry handwritten in calligraphy. Catherine’s favorite poet was Emily Dickinson. Catherine was able to tour the inside of Emily Dickinson’s home and her burial site.
More than anything, she loved spending time with her grandchildren. She was blessed with nine grandchildren: Shane, Miles, Amy, Lori, Jenny, Michael, Lynn, Katie and Eric. Each time she gained a great-grandchild, she couldn’t wait to meet them; this included: Ali, Payton, McKenzie, Brennan, Kelsey, Jordan, Taylor, Alaina, Dayton, Lynn, Michael, Erica, Addison, Blake, Carter, Ruth, Charlotte, Emily, Chloe, Autumn, Ali and Ava. Each great-grandchild was as important to her; she loved them all dearly. From this generation she gained eight great-great-grandchildren. Catherine loved her great-great-grandchildren, each one of them engraved in her heart.
Catherine also enjoyed visits from her special cat friend, Tommy, who belonged to her daughter Sue.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Dorothy Dix; sisters: Maxine Small, Darlene Bowers and Mary Jo Rase; brother Robert Dix; her husband Clifford Bonham; son David Bonham; and son-in-law Lorne Gano.
She is survived by her brothers, William Dix and Don Dix, and sister Linda, all located in Nebraska; four children and their spouses: daughter in law Andi of Ft. Pierre, S.D.; daughter Christine Gano of Aurelia; daughter Sue Ellen Bonham of Spencer; son Daniel Bonham and daughter-in-law Penny of Marathon; daughter Carolyn Eckert and son-in-law Richard Eckert of Cherokee; many nephews and nieces.
