Bonnie Jean Wild

She was born in Fargo, North Dakota to Alice Grace Wood and William Fredrick Suedel.

Daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and, as many of us knew, an absolute force of nature.

Bonnie was born on November 10, 1947, to William and Alice Suedel, the first of seven children. And let me tell you, being the oldest in a family, that size is no small task. She wasn’t just a big sister, she was part referee, part drill sergeant, and, at times, an expert escape artist. But above all, she was a protector. She was more mother than sister to us, and whether we liked it or not, she made sure we knew how to stand up for ourselves.

And if you ever crossed her, well...you learned very quickly not to do it again. She was a scrapper from the time she was little, and by the time she was grown, she had a left-handed backhand that could humble just about anyone—family, friends, maybe even a few unsuspecting strangers.

But Bonnie had a softer side, too. She had a knack for making memories, even in the simplest of moments. She took me to my first concert, Elvis. And if you were lucky enough to take a long car ride with her on the weekends, you knew those drives weren’t just about getting out of the house; they were about freedom, adventure, and maybe a little bit of escape from the chaos of everyday life.

Bonnie married her high school sweetheart, Lee Wild, and together they built a life filled with love, laughter, and no doubt, a few good debates—because if you knew Bonnie, you knew she never backed down from a strong opinion.

She was also the best seamstress I ever knew. She could take a few scraps of fabric and turn them into something beautiful, much like the way she pieced together love and care for her family.

My sister was the proud mother of Larry, Stacey & Mialie. Those 3 made her a grandma to Danielle, Nathan, Brianna, Andrew, Riley, DeShawn, Makayla, Joshua, Nathaniel, and Timothy. And those 10 made her a great-grandma to Douglas, Kelley, Connor, Francis, Zayden, Za’Kari, Zavion, Quinn & Juniper. For those of you that lost count... That’s 3 children, 10 grandchildren & 9 great grand children. She lived a full life, one filled with Walt Disney movies, laughter, resilience, and a fair share of stubbornness. She wasn’t perfect, none of us are—but she was ours. And even in the miles and years that sometimes separated us, she was still my sister.

So today, we don’t mourn her; we celebrate her. We hold onto the good memories, the lessons she taught us, and the love—however complicated it may have been—that she left behind. Rest easy, Bonnie. We’ll keep telling your stories, and we’ll do our best to keep that fighting spirit alive.