Joyce O. Bonawitz

Joyce O. Bonawitz, 91, of Moorhead, MN, died on Friday, December 4, 2020, at Serenity Assisted Living and Memory Care, Dilworth, MN. Joyce was born at home on September 13, 1929, near Thief River Falls, MN, to Norman and Clara (Ostmoe) Voldness. She grew up and attended school in TRF, graduating in 1946. She lived and worked in TRF until 1948, when she moved to Fargo, ND. There, she met Harold Bonawitz, and they married on August 28, 1949 in TRF. Together they lived in Fargo for a time before settling in Moorhead. In 1953, she began working at Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. and enjoyed her time there until retiring in 1983. Over the years, Joyce was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Fargo.  In retirement, she loved spending time with her grandchildren and working on crafts of all kinds. She also enjoyed following local sporting events, watching Twins baseball, attending Bison football and FM RedHawks, where they held season tickets for 10 years. In 2008, they sold their home if 40 years in Moorhead and moved to One Oak Place in Fargo. Harold died in 2013 and Joyce moved to Serenity Asst Living and Memory Care in 2017.  Her favorite activity there was playing bingo. She will be dearly missed.

Joyce is survived by her daughters, Nancy (Larry) Erickson of Moorhead, MN, Pamela (Don) Blaeser of Fertile, MN; grandchildren, Jodi (Adam) Sorenson of Minneapolis, MN, Eric (Ambra) Odness of Brooklyn, NY, Emily Blaeser of Pipestone, MN, Misty (Brandon) Hanson of Elk River, MN, Tara (Kris) Lofstrom of Fargo, ND; great-grandchildren, Sven, Ryan, Alyssa, Kailey, Nicholas, Ashlyn and Trystan; her sister, Dolores Hirst; sister-in-law, Loretta Voldness; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; parents, Norman and Clara; brothers, Norman C. (Marlys) Voldness, Loren Voldness; and brother-in-law, Robert Hirst, Sr.

A graveside service will be held Saturday, July 17, at 11 a.m., at Moorhead Memorial Gardens.