Bernice Lucille Bonde

Bernice L. (Heil) Bonde was born in Sedgewick, CO on February 15, 1936 to Jake Heil and Alice (Minch) Heil. She succumbed to the symptoms of dementia and died surrounded by family in the evening of November 20, 2022.

Bernice’s family moved to the Berthoud area in the early 1940s and eventually to a farm east of Mead. She attended Mead schools and graduated from Mead High School in 1954. She was known during her school years as a bookworm and was a regular at the library in Longmont throughout her life. After a year at the University of Northern Colorado, she returned to Longmont and married an Air Force Cadet, Dan Bonde at First Lutheran Church in Longmont.

The couple moved to the Orlando, FL area with Dan’s assignment as a B-47 pilot in the Strategic Air Command. They returned to Longmont following Dan’s move to the Air Force Reserves. When Dan joined the Federal Aviation Administration they moved to Denver until returning to their home in Longmont in 1962 after the Air Traffic Control Center was opened. They remained in Longmont close to their extended families for the rest of their lives.

Bernice was an avid Bridge player and was a member of several clubs over the years. It was commonly known within the family not to call on Mondays because that was Bridge Club day. Some members of the various clubs played together since the 1960s. Most recently, she and her sister, June Dolan, were the core of a Bridge Club that included many close ‘old Longmont’ friends.

As a mother, Bernice raised and supported her three children, Steve Bonde of Golden, CO and Los Alamos, NM, Jim (deceased), and Janet of Julesburg, CO. She supported and drove the kids to their many varied activities. She sat through many ‘exciting’ swim-meets, softball games, band concerts, and school plays over the years, and was always supportive. Her generosity and kindness will be remembered by her family and friends. She hosted many memorable holiday and other occasion dinners and parties over the years and was the glue that held the families together.

As a member of a Germans from Russia family, Bernice had a rather large extended family of aunts, uncles, and more than 50 cousins, many of whom still reside in and around Longmont. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Dan, brothers Harold and David Heil, sister Joyce (Heil) Wagner, and son Jim. She is survived by her son Steve and daughter Janet; grandchildren Jeff Gilmore of Dacono, Kenny Gilmore of Julesburg, Zane Bonde of Gunnison, CO, and Kira Bonde of Golden, CO; two great-grandchildren, Sadie and Cody Gilmore; as well as several nieces and nephews and their families. We often ran across people who would ask if we were Bernice and Danny’s kids in stores or conversations over the years.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, November 26th at 1:00 pm at the First Lutheran Church in Longmont. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Bernice’s name to the ALS Association (www.ALS.org).