On December 28, 1928, Bonnie was born on a farm in southwest Nebraska to Arthur and Elsie Berndt. The family later moved to northwest Kansas to another farm. She attended country school in Cedar Bluffs, KS, through the 8th grade. She went to high school in McCook, NE, and later graduated from North Central Bible Institute in Minneapolis, MN.

Bonnie married Melvin Drews on September 7, 1951, and they had four children.

During her life, she worked in different churches, teaching Sunday school, Missionettes, and Women's Ministries. She also provided daycare for several children. In 1977, she and Melvin moved to South Dakota from California and bought the KOA Campground in Deadwood. They retired to Sturgis from that business in 1995.

The job she loved most was mothering her children and she was an excellent example of a wife and mother. She would wash dishes to soak her arthritic hands and pray for each family member while doing so. She also was the main caregiver for 12 years for her husband, Melvin, after his debilitating stroke.

Her favorite pastime was reading. She continued to read via audio book and would joke about losing her place because she couldn't figure out how to stop and rewind or she would fall asleep and have to start the book over. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she loved shopping for gifts for each family member.

Bonnie A. Drews went home to be with Jesus on April 9, 2016. In the past few years, she became legally blind from macular degeneration but now she is clearly seeing the face of her Savior, Jesus.

Bonnie is survived by the children she loved dearly, Collette (Jason) Holmes, Lomita, CA, Cheryl (Mike) Glanzer, Lead, SD, Anitra (Don) McKnight, Sturgis, SD, and Alan Drews, Sturgis, SD; grandchildren, Shanna, Phil, Stacee, Susanna, Elise, Dusty, Evan, Aimee, Brad, Aaron, April, Adam, and Aric; three great-grandchildren, Vienna, Joel, and Andrew. Also surviving are two sisters, Lois Nelson and Leona Nelson; one brother, Arthur Berndt; several nieces and nephews; and to many more children and adults, she was Grandma Bonnie.

Visitation will be 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 14, 2016, at the Calvary Temple Assembly of God Church in Spearfish, SD. Burial will follow in the afternoon at Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis.

A memorial has been established.

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