Bonna (Bonnie) Jean Glessner Aaron, 89 left this earth to join her life partner, Al, on January 23, 2013 at Brookside Retirement Center. Bonna was born on April 8, 1923 at home in the Moss Springs Community, near Alta Vista, Kansas to Howard Mitchell Glessner and Augusta Albertina Nickoley Glessner. She graduated from the Alta Vista High School then attended Brown Mackie Business College in Salina, Kansas. After graduating in 1943 she went to work for the federal government in Topeka. Bonna met her life partner, Alford (Al) ,at a USO dance, where they began their lifetime commitment to each other. They were married on November 6, 1944 in Topeka. They lived in Topeka with his two daughters for the first two years of their marriage, then moved West of Carbondale where they lived in their little house in the country for 58 years. Bonna managed the household and cared for their daughters until 1965 when they purchased the Aaron's Home Store. During the next 19 years they operated their store, but they also traveled throughout the United States fulfilling their dream of visiting every state. They sold their business in 1985, and continued to enjoy their country home until 2005 when they moved into Carbondale. In 2008 Bonna and Al moved to the Brookside Retirement Community in Overbrook, Kansas. They continued to share their life together until 2010 when Al passed away. Bonna had since been loved and cared for at Brookside. Bonna was a devoted volunteer to many organizations and a servant to her community. She was a member of the Carbondale Grange #754 for 58 years and served in many offices including State Lecturer of the Kansas State Grange. Al and Bonna became members of the Carbondale Community Church of Christ over fifty years ago, where Bonna taught Sunday school and Bible school for many years. She was a 4-H leader in the Carbondale Rustlers 4-H Club for 20 years and a member of Eastern Star, having held several offices including Worthy Matron. Bonna was a devoted volunteer for Midland Hospice providing hundreds of hours of respite care. Bonna was appreciated for her seamstress abilities, meeting the needs of family and others who benefited from her creative talent. She always managed to have sufficient food for anyone who escaped town to the Aaron's country retreat, hosting hundreds of family celebrations and get-togethers. Bonna was a gracious, giving person, putting others before herself. She was always a teacher, to her daughters, grand children and many others in her path. Bonna was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Alford Laverne Aaron, daughter, Peggy Joyce Aaron Tolbert; two grandsons; one great granddaughter; and one great-great granddaughter. She is survived by four daughters: Delores (Richard ) Leupold of Topeka; Vita Jo (Keith) Tucker of Burlingame; Gayle Aaron and Lynn (Alan) Runyan, all of Loveland, Colorado; twelve grand children; twenty-two great grandchildren; and thirteen great-great grand children. She is also survived by four siblings: Lavida Feucht of Indianapolis, Indiana; Melvin Glessner of Council Grove, Kansas; Glenna (Bob) McCaleb of Junction City; and Janice (Ron) Howard of Manhattan, Kansas. In addition she leaves many other family members, as well as the Brookside Retirement Center care-givers who loved her like family. A celebration of Bonna's life will be held at the Brookside Retirement Center Community Room in Overbrook, Kansas on Saturday, January 26, 2013. The family invites all for fellowship from 1:00-3:00 P.M, with a sharing of remembrances at 2:00. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Bonna Aaron Memorial Fund c/o Carey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 196 Burlingame, Kansas 66413, which will be used for a local community memorial.

From: Council Grove Republican~25 January 2013~Volume 141~Number 18