Bonita Mary (Essendrup) Hanson

   Bonita "Bonnie" Hanson, 92, of Willmar, died Sunday, April 14, 2024, at Cura of Willmar.

   Her Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 am, Thursday, April 18 at the Church of St. Mary in Willmar and will be streamed at https://www.ourlivingwater.org/bonniehanson.html.  Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 pm Wednesday, April 17 at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Interment will be in Cloverleaf Cemetery. Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar, www.hafh.org.

   Bonita Mary Essendrup was born June 28, 1931, in Lone Tree Township near Raymond, Minnesota, to Raymond and Pearl (Christenson) Essendrup.  She attended St. Clara’s Catholic School in Clara City and Raymond High School, graduating in 1951.  After high school, Bonnie worked as a telephone operator.  On May 2, 1953, she was married to Dale Hanson at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Raymond.  They made their home in Willmar, where they raised their six children: Marlene, Roy, Donna, Randy, Vickie and Brad.  Bonnie worked as a line supervisor at Jennie-O Turkey Store for 23 years until her retirement in 1994.

  Bonnie was a member of the Church of St. Mary. She was also a member of the Willmar V.F.W. Auxiliary and marched in many parades with them.  Her hobbies included gardening, reading, coin collecting, and watching the Hallmark Channel.  She also enjoyed crafts, including sewing, crochet, and quilting, and enjoyed passing her crafting skills on to her granddaughters.  Bonnie loved going for drives and listening to classic country music, especially Johnny Cash.  She cherished spending time with her family and attending her grandchildren’s sporting events and activities.

   She is survived by her six children: Marlene (Randy) Madison, Roy Hanson, Donna (Wayne) Arndt, Randy (JoNell) Hanson, Vickie (Mark) Thompson and Brad (Michelle) Hanson, all of Willmar; 17 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.  She is also survived by a brother: Raymond Essendrup, Jr. of Maple Grove; two sisters: Lorraine Bohlsen of Willmar and Colleen Newland of Minnetonka; and several nieces and nephews.

   She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband: Dale in 2009; six brothers: James, Gerald, Ervin, Marlin and two in infancy; and four sisters: Adeline Steffens, Dorothy Fransen, Verna Aeikens and Arlene Beers.

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