Bonnie was born on May 2, 1946 to the parents of Norbert and Emma (Brandt) Gerke. Bonnie learned at an early age to play the accordion and to tap dance. In fact, she became so proficient at both that she managed to do her tap dancing while playing the accordion.
Her accordion playing served her so well at Concordia Lutheran High School that she achieved the highest honor in the state of Indiana typing at the rate of 120 words a minute without an error while also mastering short hand.
Thus, she could use her skills upon completion of high school by immediately working for attorneys as a paralegal, and did so for 55 years.
Bonnie, throughout her high school years, lovingly cared for her ailing mother who was dying of cancer.
While married to Bill Bledsoe, the couple adopted Jeffrey Bledsoe and later were blessed with their own child, Randy Bledsoe. Years later, while single, at a Lutheran Singles Conference at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, she met her future husband while standing in line for chow. After chatting a while, as the line moved closer to the serving table, Bonnie noticed each plate occupied a huge baked potato. So Bonnie asked Dave if he wanted to share a baked potato with her.
Bonnie is survived by her husband Rev. David Werner, her two sons Jeffrey, age 48, and Randy, age 43, three step children: Melanie Johnson of Elkhart, IN, Timothy Werner of Yorktown, IN. and Michael Werner of Westerville, OH. as well as two lovely miniature Dachshunds.
Bonnie throughout her life loved to sing and so sang in a choir at the Seminary and in the choir at St. Paul's Lutheran Church on Barr Street. Bonnie's talents were best displayed by serving as “mother” to many who sought her advice. Her hobbies consisted of reading books, watching her two soaps and working paper puzzles.
The wake for Bonnie will be at McCombs Funeral Home, 1140 Lake Avenue on Thursday, February 20 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. The service will be on Friday, February 21 at 11:00 a.m. with a one hour showing starting at 10:00 a.m. Rev. Peter Cage, senior pastor at St, Paul's Lutheran Church, 1126 S. Barr Street, will conduct the memorial service.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18