After a full and well-lived life, Leonore Elizabeth Mattson Bonacci passed away peacefully on Monday, August 31, 2015, surrounded by her family. For 95 years, Mom's enormous heart gave greatly and selflessly to all and, after having given so much to so many, had given all it could.
Leonore was born in St. Joseph's Hospital in Deadwood, SD, on July 20, 1920, grew up in Lead, SD, attended public schools, and graduated high school in 1938. She then traveled to Chicago to study nursing at St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1942. During World War II, Leonore enlisted in the Army and served with the Army Nurse Corps 121st Evacuation Hospital in Europe, being stationed in England, France, Luxembourg, Austria and Germany. She helped many people and saw many horrible things and, in 1945, was in Weimar, Germany, at the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Leonore was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945 and returned to Chicago.
At the urging of a friend, Leonore moved to Utah and began working as a nurse in Salt Lake City. In 1955, Leonore married Joseph A. Bonacci and moved to Helper, Utah. Leonore and Joseph had two children, Elizabeth and Thomas, and, after Joseph's untimely death, Leonore raised Lizz and Tom on her own, giving them every possible advantage. Leonore enjoyed a long career as an operating room nurse at Carbon and Castleview Hospitals. After her retirement as the OR Supervisor and Administrator at Castleview Hospital, Leonore spent two years in Africa applying her considerable nursing skills as a volunteer at the Consolata charitable hospitals in Nyeri and Nkubu, Kenya. Leonore continued to travel, enjoying trips including China, Africa, Europe, and Central America.
Leonore was a devout member of the Catholic Church and longtime member of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Helper, Utah, where she served as lector and was a member of the Altar Society. She was honored as Catholic Woman of the Year in 2003. After moving back to Salt Lake City in her later years, Leonore remained active in St. Ambrose and St. Ann's parishes as well as with St. Joseph's Villa. Leonore enjoyed dinners out with her many good friends, symphony concerts, travel, reading, playing bridge, sewing, and cross-word puzzles.
Leonore was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard Mattson and Elizabeth Grimsbo Mattson, sisters Mollie Mattson, Phyllis Zoll, Maxine Ellis, and brother Harold Mattson. She is survived by sister Anna Louise Wright, daughter Elizabeth Bonacci Newmark (Richard), son Thomas M. Bonacci (Kristin), and grandchildren Hannah and Jeffrey Newmark, and Katy, Vincent, and Joseph Bonacci.
A funeral mass and memorial service will be planned and announced for a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Leonore's name to Catholic Community Services for the support of refugee resettlement and foster care, St. Vincent's Dining Hall, and the Weigand Homeless Resource Center.
Leonore was born in St. Joseph's Hospital in Deadwood, SD, on July 20, 1920, grew up in Lead, SD, attended public schools, and graduated high school in 1938. She then traveled to Chicago to study nursing at St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1942. During World War II, Leonore enlisted in the Army and served with the Army Nurse Corps 121st Evacuation Hospital in Europe, being stationed in England, France, Luxembourg, Austria and Germany. She helped many people and saw many horrible things and, in 1945, was in Weimar, Germany, at the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Leonore was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945 and returned to Chicago.
At the urging of a friend, Leonore moved to Utah and began working as a nurse in Salt Lake City. In 1955, Leonore married Joseph A. Bonacci and moved to Helper, Utah. Leonore and Joseph had two children, Elizabeth and Thomas, and, after Joseph's untimely death, Leonore raised Lizz and Tom on her own, giving them every possible advantage. Leonore enjoyed a long career as an operating room nurse at Carbon and Castleview Hospitals. After her retirement as the OR Supervisor and Administrator at Castleview Hospital, Leonore spent two years in Africa applying her considerable nursing skills as a volunteer at the Consolata charitable hospitals in Nyeri and Nkubu, Kenya. Leonore continued to travel, enjoying trips including China, Africa, Europe, and Central America.
Leonore was a devout member of the Catholic Church and longtime member of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Helper, Utah, where she served as lector and was a member of the Altar Society. She was honored as Catholic Woman of the Year in 2003. After moving back to Salt Lake City in her later years, Leonore remained active in St. Ambrose and St. Ann's parishes as well as with St. Joseph's Villa. Leonore enjoyed dinners out with her many good friends, symphony concerts, travel, reading, playing bridge, sewing, and cross-word puzzles.
Leonore was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard Mattson and Elizabeth Grimsbo Mattson, sisters Mollie Mattson, Phyllis Zoll, Maxine Ellis, and brother Harold Mattson. She is survived by sister Anna Louise Wright, daughter Elizabeth Bonacci Newmark (Richard), son Thomas M. Bonacci (Kristin), and grandchildren Hannah and Jeffrey Newmark, and Katy, Vincent, and Joseph Bonacci.
A funeral mass and memorial service will be planned and announced for a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Leonore's name to Catholic Community Services for the support of refugee resettlement and foster care, St. Vincent's Dining Hall, and the Weigand Homeless Resource Center.
After a full and well-lived life, Leonore Elizabeth Mattson Bonacci passed away peacefully on Monday, August 31, 2015, surrounded by her family. For 95 years, Mom's enormous heart gave greatly and selflessly to all and, after having given so much to so many, had given all it could.
Leonore was born in St. Joseph's Hospital in Deadwood, SD, on July 20, 1920, grew up in Lead, SD, attended public schools, and graduated high school in 1938. She then traveled to Chicago to study nursing at St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1942. During World War II, Leonore enlisted in the Army and served with the Army Nurse Corps 121st Evacuation Hospital in Europe, being stationed in England, France, Luxembourg, Austria and Germany. She helped many people and saw many horrible things and, in 1945, was in Weimar, Germany, at the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Leonore was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945 and returned to Chicago.
At the urging of a friend, Leonore moved to Utah and began working as a nurse in Salt Lake City. In 1955, Leonore married Joseph A. Bonacci and moved to Helper, Utah. Leonore and Joseph had two children, Elizabeth and Thomas, and, after Joseph's untimely death, Leonore raised Lizz and Tom on her own, giving them every possible advantage. Leonore enjoyed a long career as an operating room nurse at Carbon and Castleview Hospitals. After her retirement as the OR Supervisor and Administrator at Castleview Hospital, Leonore spent two years in Africa applying her considerable nursing skills as a volunteer at the Consolata charitable hospitals in Nyeri and Nkubu, Kenya. Leonore continued to travel, enjoying trips including China, Africa, Europe, and Central America.
Leonore was a devout member of the Catholic Church and longtime member of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Helper, Utah, where she served as lector and was a member of the Altar Society. She was honored as Catholic Woman of the Year in 2003. After moving back to Salt Lake City in her later years, Leonore remained active in St. Ambrose and St. Ann's parishes as well as with St. Joseph's Villa. Leonore enjoyed dinners out with her many good friends, symphony concerts, travel, reading, playing bridge, sewing, and cross-word puzzles.
Leonore was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard Mattson and Elizabeth Grimsbo Mattson, sisters Mollie Mattson, Phyllis Zoll, Maxine Ellis, and brother Harold Mattson. She is survived by sister Anna Louise Wright, daughter Elizabeth Bonacci Newmark (Richard), son Thomas M. Bonacci (Kristin), and grandchildren Hannah and Jeffrey Newmark, and Katy, Vincent, and Joseph Bonacci.
A funeral mass and memorial service will be planned and announced for a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Leonore's name to Catholic Community Services for the support of refugee resettlement and foster care, St. Vincent's Dining Hall, and the Weigand Homeless Resource Center.
Leonore was born in St. Joseph's Hospital in Deadwood, SD, on July 20, 1920, grew up in Lead, SD, attended public schools, and graduated high school in 1938. She then traveled to Chicago to study nursing at St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1942. During World War II, Leonore enlisted in the Army and served with the Army Nurse Corps 121st Evacuation Hospital in Europe, being stationed in England, France, Luxembourg, Austria and Germany. She helped many people and saw many horrible things and, in 1945, was in Weimar, Germany, at the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Leonore was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945 and returned to Chicago.
At the urging of a friend, Leonore moved to Utah and began working as a nurse in Salt Lake City. In 1955, Leonore married Joseph A. Bonacci and moved to Helper, Utah. Leonore and Joseph had two children, Elizabeth and Thomas, and, after Joseph's untimely death, Leonore raised Lizz and Tom on her own, giving them every possible advantage. Leonore enjoyed a long career as an operating room nurse at Carbon and Castleview Hospitals. After her retirement as the OR Supervisor and Administrator at Castleview Hospital, Leonore spent two years in Africa applying her considerable nursing skills as a volunteer at the Consolata charitable hospitals in Nyeri and Nkubu, Kenya. Leonore continued to travel, enjoying trips including China, Africa, Europe, and Central America.
Leonore was a devout member of the Catholic Church and longtime member of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Helper, Utah, where she served as lector and was a member of the Altar Society. She was honored as Catholic Woman of the Year in 2003. After moving back to Salt Lake City in her later years, Leonore remained active in St. Ambrose and St. Ann's parishes as well as with St. Joseph's Villa. Leonore enjoyed dinners out with her many good friends, symphony concerts, travel, reading, playing bridge, sewing, and cross-word puzzles.
Leonore was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard Mattson and Elizabeth Grimsbo Mattson, sisters Mollie Mattson, Phyllis Zoll, Maxine Ellis, and brother Harold Mattson. She is survived by sister Anna Louise Wright, daughter Elizabeth Bonacci Newmark (Richard), son Thomas M. Bonacci (Kristin), and grandchildren Hannah and Jeffrey Newmark, and Katy, Vincent, and Joseph Bonacci.
A funeral mass and memorial service will be planned and announced for a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Leonore's name to Catholic Community Services for the support of refugee resettlement and foster care, St. Vincent's Dining Hall, and the Weigand Homeless Resource Center.
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