Duane Richard Bonnema

Hawarden, IA: Duane Richard Bonnema, 69, of Hawarden, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at Hawarden Regional Healthcare. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 1:00 PM at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Ireton, Iowa with Rev. Michael Boothby officiating. The service will be recorded and available for viewing the following day at https://stpaulsireton.weebly.com/ or https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcA5lxF8xs3kkh0pUw-aLHw. Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery of Ireton. Visitation with the family present will be held Monday, March 3, from 5:00-7:00 PM with a prayer service to follow at 7 PM at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

 Porter Funeral Home of Hawarden has been entrusted with Duane’s arrangements. Condolences may be left for the family at www.porterfuneralhomes.com. 

 Duane was born January 14th, 1956, the youngest of six children born to Melvin and Gertie (Haverhals) Bonnema. He attended school at Lebanon Christian Elementary and Western Christian High School, where he was not just a student but also the bus driver. 

 He began his career at Sioux Fertilizer and worked at Boyer Farms for many years, eventually taking over the Bonnema family farm on Cleveland Avenue near Hawarden, Iowa. He always had a creative gift for blacksmithing and created many metal work solutions at Duey’s Repair Shop on the home place. In 2023, he retired and was diagnosed with cancer that summer. He fought the fight head-on, but he never forgot to admit pure gratefulness that through the accidents and illnesses he had experienced, God had granted him the precious time he needed to raise his family.

 In 1992, Duane married Lea Ann Koopmans on August 29th in Ireton, Iowa. He and Lea Ann raised their four children on the farm – Britney, Logen, Deven and Laney. 

 Duane wasn’t known for having nothing to say. He loved to visit his favorite spots – Quick Corner and Central Café. His children admit that a trip downtown for a quick meal was never quick. If Duane knew the clientele, then there was a story to tell or a “wise crack” to share. He followed the sport of high school wrestling with vigor, and he took great pride in being a husband, a father to four and grandpa to nine.

 Duane is survived by his wife, Lea Ann; four children, Britney (Bjorn) Johnson with Estelle and Soren of Olympia, Washington, Logen (Mallorie) Bonnema with Hazel and Harper of Hawarden, Deven (Chelsea) Bonnema with Birdie of Ireton, and Laney Bonnema (Tyler Smithson) with Tyler Mia and Charlie of LeMars, Iowa; five siblings, Leora (John) Van Middendorp of Rock Rapids, Iowa, Marlene Broek of Sioux Center, Iowa, Gervin (Helen) Bonnema of Orange City, Iowa, Cheryl Frost of Holland, Michigan, and Joyce Williams of Waverly, Iowa; 9 siblings-in-law, Jim (Mary) Koopmans, Jeanna (Mark) Negaard, Randy (Cindy) Koopmans, Ron (Connie) Koopmans, Arven (Patti) Koopmans, Bob (Darla) Koopmans, Sharole Rens, Sandy (Ken) Van Voorst and Janice (Bernie) Fedders, all from Sioux County, Iowa. Also blessed by Duane’s gift of conversation are his numerous nieces and nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews; and many friends. 

 Rejoicing to welcome him to his heavenly home include his parents, Melvin and Gertie Bonnema; granddaughter, Etta Jo Bonnema; brothers-in-law, Jay Broek and Gary Frost; parents-in-law, Henry and Leona Koopmans; and a nephew, Dustin Koopmans.