BONNIE SHOEMAKER

BONNIE SHOEMAKER

     Bonnie Shoemaker, 91, passed away Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at Dimensions Nursing Home in Eau Claire, WI. 

     Bonnie was born April 18, 1934, to Hallie and Verda (Gee) Goldsmith in Black River Falls. She grew up in rural Jackson County. Bonnie was the third child born into a family of 12. 

     Bonnie was united in marriage to Howard Shoemaker in 1953, they had four children, Faith, Hal, Jon and Curtis. Bonnie and Howard farmed in rural Jackson County until a fire devastated the farm in the late 1950s. Between 1959 and 1966, the family moved eight times from Black River Falls, Rock County and Council Bluffs, IA.

     She graduated nursing school in 1977. She worked as a registered nurse in several health care facilities in Wisconsin and Illinois. She retired in 1996 in Scandinavia, WI. Later that year, she moved to Goldsmith Road, where she stayed until she went into assisted living. 

     Bonnie enjoyed canning, dancing and playing cards. There were two log cabins in mom’s life. The first was built in the mid-1970s and the second was built on Goldsmith Road in 1996. The logs for both were cut from family land, notched and erected by expert family craftsmen. 

     She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard; her parents; her son, Curtis; her granddaughter, Sarah K. Ruud; siblings Mavis Stanton, Opal Arneson and Roger, Danny, Allen, and Gary Goldsmith.

     Bonnie’s memory will be forever held in the hearts of her children, Faith (Steve) Ruud, Hal Shoemaker and Jon (Patty Hamilton) Shoemaker; grandchildren Emily (Mike) Schumaker, Ami (Luke) Kellison and Dani (Shon Stewart) Shoemaker; great-grandchildren Zayden Garetson, Reagan and Levi Kellison; siblings Barry (Freda) Goldsmith, Randy (Star) Goldsmith, Chris (Priscilla) Goldsmith, Janet Eddy and LuAnn (Mike) Gaede.

     A funeral service for Bonnie will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Jensen-Modjeski Funeral Home in Hixton. A visitation will be held at the funeral home from 11 a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will follow the service in East Lawn Cemetery in Alma Center, along with a luncheon to follow the burial at the Alma Center VFW.

     Jensen-Modjeski Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.