Bonnie Lou Sommers Ratzlaff died January 12, 2008 in Flagstaff Arizona at the age of 77.

She was born in Miami County Indiana to Willard and Norma Sommers. Her family farmed for many years there before moving to northern Indiana where her father pastored Marion Mennonite Church near Howe.

She graduated from Lima High School in 1948 and attended Goshen College, IN for two years before teaching in a one-room school near Sturgis Michigan.

After two years she returned to Goshen College and graduated in 1954. She married Vernon P. Ratzlaff from Mountain Lake Minnesota in 1955. They moved to Minnesota where they were both teachers. They recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary prior to Vernon's death.

Bonnie loved to travel, take pictures, garden, and bird watch. She was an avid reader and enjoyed playing board games. Astronomy was one of her favorite past times. Being raised on a farm she would describe how she would star gaze each night as a young girl.

A strong believer in Christ, she raised her children to know the Bible and love the Lord Jesus. She always created a loving atmosphere wherever she was and had a talent for including everyone in her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two of her sisters and her husband. She is survived by her sister, Idella, her four children-Paul, Gwen, Jay (Cheryl), Peter (Michelle)-her nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in her honor, 2:00 Saturday, January 19, 2007 at Norvel Owens Mortuary, 914 E. Route 66, Flagstaff, Arizona.