Bonnie Lee Kobetsky

Longtime San Diego resident, Bonnie Lee Hietala Kobetsky, passed away at the age of 79 on October 25, 2021, after a lengthy illness. Bonnie was born to Arnold and Hilda Hietala on December 15, 1941, in Grand Rapids, MN just eight days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. During the later war years, the family lived in the San Francisco Bay area, where Arnold was employed in the shipyards.

Following the war, Bonnie attended elementary school in Sweet Home, OR, where her father had helped build a sawmill and was employed as a millwright. The booming forest products industry took the family to Belgrade, MT, where Bonnie attended middle school and high school, graduating in 1960. After graduation, the family moved again to build yet another sawmill. This time, Bonnie found herself in Thompson Falls, MT. It was here that Bonnie met John R. Pritzkau. The couple married in 1962, and soon after, her first son, John Ronald Pritzkau Jr. was born in Missoula, MT. Since John was in the US Navy, moving to the coast was inevitable and her second son, Wayne Alan Pritzkau, was born in Alameda, CA. Bonnie and John eventually divorced. Bonnie then moved to San Diego to raise her children while working various jobs in the service industry. She spent the later years of her career working as an Insurance Administrator for Frank Gates Acclaim, Inc. in San Diego, CA.

In 1981, Bonnie met Bernard (Bernie) Kobetsky. They soon fell in love and were married in 1988. Bonnie and Bernie were happily married for 32 years until Bernie’s death in 2020. Bernie was the love of Bonnie’s life, and together, they enjoyed traveling, entertaining, and celebrating birthdays, holidays, and family reunions with their combined families. One of Bonnie’s greatest joys was spending time in their vacation beach home in Ha’ena, Kauai, Hawaii, which they shared with many relatives and friends, the more the merrier.

Bonnie was a very loving, generous, and thoughtful person. She was always positive, upbeat, and clearly loved living in the moment. She loved entertaining and having conversation with friends and family and was loved by all. Today, she is in the loving presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Bonnie is predeceased by her parents, her husband Bernie, a brother Harold, and a sister Dorothy.

She is survived by her two sons, John Pritzkau (Ventura, CA), Wayne Pritzkau (San Diego, CA), a brother Lee Hietala (Bozeman, MT), a brother Bruce Hietala (Belgrade, MT), a sister Marilyn Vickhammer (Kalispell, MT), Stepchildren; Peggy Nomland Kobetsky (San Diego, CA), Timothy Kobetsky (San Diego, CA), Candy Marsh (Denver, CO); as well as spouses and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. All will miss her greatly.

Services will be held on Thursday, Dec 2nd at 1:00pm at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, California, via the Beardsley-Mitchell Funeral Home of San Diego.