Bonnie D. Leiby

Dec. 31, 1932 - Nov. 3, 2015

Bonnie Dee Leiby, 82, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015, at her longtime home, with all of her children and most of her grandchildren present.

Bonnie was born on Dec. 31, 1932, in Quinn to Reba and Ray Hillery. As a child she lived near Interior, fought off Rheumatic Fever, worked on her family’s farm, and attended Big Foot School through the eighth grade. She graduated from Interior High School in 1950, lettering as a cheerleader along the way. On Feb. 28, 1955, she married James Earl Leiby in Pierre, after which they moved to Rapid City and began their family.

Throughout the decades that followed, Bonnie and her husband Jim were the foundation of a large, connected family, and their residence in Chapel Valley, from 1960 up to the present, was home and host to immediate and extended family and friends, for holidays, other special occasions, and throughout the many years of daily life they enjoyed.

In addition to the very many family members and friends Bonnie helped in multiple ways, she also was the loyal and steadfast caretaker through the years of her dog Chico, then her cat Johnny, a few stray cats that she couldn’t resist caring for, and a series of several gigantic hibiscus plants, which have descendants living on in multiple other states. Bonnie’s garden, especially her many flowers, also received careful attention, and played a central role in her bittersweet relationship with the local deer. Thankfully, her large stand of lilacs created no such conflicts, providing instead a beautiful and aromatic wall for her children and grandchildren to hide Easter eggs in.

Although Bonnie operated with notably more thrift than those she was with on her many trips to Las Vegas and Deadwood, and was a bit more reluctant to play cards with friends and family during the many decades, she did so in her home and elsewhere. She was a stealthily strong competitor, often defeating her opponents in Gin Rummy, and establishing the all-time family record for Yahtzee score in what is believed to be her first and only time conceding to play the game.

Bonnie will be happily remembered for her countless expressions of love through food — from cooking daily meals, to making pie crusts for holidays, from sharing coveted recipes like butterscotch pudding and corn mush, to teaching others how to be as nourishing and helpful in the kitchen as they could be, and especially for consistently offering food from the enormous amounts she and Jim always had on hand, considerately suggesting that everyone eat at every chance they got.

Beyond these acts of affection and concern for everybody’s well-being, Bonnie’s innumerable wishes that everyone be careful whenever they were doing anything were a reliable reminder that she was there for all, and her massive array of medicinal items, particularly the huge dresser drawer full of supplies, were standing by in case not enough care was taken.

Moreover, Bonnie will be deeply missed and joyfully remembered and celebrated for her welcoming kindness and generous caring, her quiet yet fierce independence, her private and strong-willed nature, and her honesty, thoughtfulness, and sweetness. Bonnie’s frequent terms of endearment and fundamental sense of fairness will persist in the many who benefitted from her presence in their lives. All who cherished her and were loved by her will continue to be blessed by having known such a warm, patient, entertaining, supportive woman widely regarded as the most selfless person that anybody who knew her had ever met.

Bonnie was preceded in passing by her parents; her husband of nearly 59 years, James; and her older brother, Allan, amongst others. She is survived by older sister, Alice (Jesse) Baysinger and sister-in-law, Dixie Hillery, all of Rapid City; two daughters: Jean (Alvino) Jimenez of Statesville, N.C., and Janet (Robert Valdez) Houser of Rapid City; two sons: Mike Leiby and Lloyd Leiby, both of Rapid City; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and others.

Funeral services were held Monday, Nov. 9, at the Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home with Rev. Jeff Kintner officiating. 

Interment followed at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

The Pioneer Review

221 E. Oak Street
Philip, SD 57567
Telephone: (605) 859-2516
E Mail: ads@pioneer-review.com

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