LaVonne "Bonnie" Schneider

LaVonne Lorraine "Bonnie" Schneider, age 93, of Winona, passed away on Saturday, September 2, 2023, at Sugar Loaf Senior Living in Winona. She was born on August 13, 1930, to Charles W. Goetz and Ethel Bell Cox Goetz.

Bonnie’s Story: Just a stay at home Mom – not really!  She was so much more than that.  She was a wife and mom, but she was our companion, encourager, teacher and guide.  In Cherry’s words, “My all around best cheerleader.  She made me feel like I could do anything.”

She graduated from St. Charles High School in 1948, and married the Love of Her Life, Leo M. Schneider in September of that year.  To that union five daughters were born, Sharon, Cherry, Linda, Karen and Aura (FKA Alisa). 

We thought she could do anything.  She was involved in Winona County’s 4-H program teaching us about hunting, nature, and the great outdoors.  She was a seamstress and quilter, teaching all of us girls to sew.  She was an artist; you can see her painting in the basement of her church, St. Martin’s Lutheran, here in Winona and in the Izaak Walton building in Owatonna, MN.  She was an author, writing books and poems for us kids and for publication.  For Cherry it was a book about her puppy Midnight (1951) and the Hinky Dinky Book (1951).  She was a gardener and a preserver of the produce from her garden.  She was a builder, not only building up us kids, but their log house, the furniture to fill it, a cradle for Heather’s arrival, and hope chests for the grandchildren.  She graduated from Winona State University in 1991 with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree.

Bonnie is preceded in death by her parents and in-laws; her beloved husband, Leo; infant daughter, Sharon; sons-in-law: Robert Horton, Mike Mason, and Gary McNally; grandson, Charles Wish; great grandchildren: Grayson McNally and Onyx Wish; brother, Charles Goetz; and sister, Sarah Turnmeier.

She is survived by her daughters: Cherry (Gary) Schwartz, Linda Mason, Karen McNallly and Aura Taylor; grandchildren: Rob (Anna) Gennrich, David (Ruby) Juska, Heather (Daniel) Brand, Jason (Kelly) Schwartz, Emily (Richard) Koeller, Jonathan Schwartz, Kenna Simeno and Michael Spittler; 22 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.  She is further survived by her remaining siblings: Fredrick Goetz, Christena Decker (Bud Graner), Joyce Malone, Winnie (Richard) Unnash and Dennis Goetz; and sisters-in-law: Betty Hundorf and Arlene Goetz.

Visitation will be held from 1 PM until the funeral service at 2 PM on Saturday, September 16, 2023, at the Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home, 376 E. Sarnia St., Winona. Reverend Richard A. Moore will officiate.  Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Memorials may be gifted to St. Martin’s Lutheran Church or the Owatonna Izaak Walton League. 

The family wishes to extend a HUGE heartfelt thank you to all the staff at Sugarloaf Senior Living and Winona Hospice for the outstanding care and compassion our Mom and Grandma continuously received over the past ten years with you.  Forever in our Hearts!

Online condolences or memories may be left for Bonnie’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com.