Bonnalee McDowell's Obituary
Bonnalee McDowell was born January 28, 1920 and died October 27, 2010 at the Corydon Nursing & Rehab Center in Corydon, Iowa. The daughter of (Jim) James E. & Charlotte (Lottie Mullin) McDowell, Bonnie was the youngest of 5 children. They moved to Youngstown, Missouri, to work in the mines and fish in the Grand River as Jim was an avid fisherman who sold his catch. Bonnie was born at Youngstown. After moving to a farm south of Powersville, Missouri, Bonnie attended the 1st and 2nd grades at Snider country school. She was small at age four, so her sister often carried her to and from school. Because she started school at age four, she had to take 1st and 2nd grade over when they moved to Powersville where she attended school and graduated in 1937. She often said that retaking those grades over made her lazy with her studies. While not remembering learning to read, she did remember her mother reading the movies to her when the movies had no sound. Bonnie also remembered President Roosevelt whistle stopping in Powersville. Grapefruit and other foods were handed out in the 1920's and Bonnie often talked of how little there was to eat. She often went looking for wayside plants to cook for the family to eat. During those hard times, Bonnie learned to do everything from scratch. She could string a barb wire fence tight enough it twanged. Jim worked on the railroad out of Powersville. Bonnie, with her half brother Otis, helped their grandfather (Jimmy Mullin) as a janitor at the Powersville School, and also helped her father care for her sick failing mother. This was to be the first of many people that Bonnie cared for in her life. On November 12, 1939, Bonnie married Lucien (Jack) Stockman, and they lived on a Stockman family farm between Powersville and Mercer, Missouri. To that union one daughter was born, Betty May. Bonnie and Jack (Lucien Taft Stockman) later divorced on March 9, 1967. Bonnie then moved to Jefferson, Iowa, where she began working as a nurse's aide (CNA) at the Greene County Hospital. In 1967 at the age of 47 she went to the school of practical nursing in Ames, Iowa, graduating salutatorian in 1968-1969. Bonnie moved to Iowa City then and worked as an LPN in the University of Iowa Hospital in both the surgical & OB units. In 1982 at the age of 62 she became ill and decided to retire, moving to Grand Junction, Iowa where her sister lived. When Vivian and her husband Frank Woodley passed away, Bonnie returned to her home town in Powersville, Missouri. In 1990 she bought a big house on main street, built in 1907 or before by Dr. Frank Cozad Bonnie was a private person, living alone by choice and she loved her solitude. She was a gifted and caring person, doing all manner of things such as quilting, painting, or anything she set her mind to. She enjoyed doing the many lost arts and crafts of yesteryear and was a perfectionist about her work. She loved to read and her house was full of books. She believed if you wanted to do or make things, find a book that told how. She loved nature and had quite a green thumb. She enjoyed being out in the hot sun and playing in her garden. She always raised far more then she needed because she loved to share her goods with the neighborhood. She also had a gift for raising chickens, canaries, turkeys and many other animals, always keeping a hive of bees too. Bonnie loved her dogs Lady, Tricia, and Nibby, her constant companions during their lives. On Nov. 2008, the day after Thanksgiving, Bonnie fell and broke her left hip. From the hospital she went to the nursing home in Corydon, Iowa. While there, Bonnie fell again on Feb.10, 2010, suffering a compression fracture of her spine, breaking her right hip and cracking the large bone. She continued to live in the home until her death. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Lottie McDowell, all their siblings and their spouses, brothers Howard Otis McDowell and wife Naomi, and their son Mike, Emerald S McDowell and wife Algeva . Verle J. McDowell and wife Maxine, and their son Jerald. Also her sister Vivian E. Woodley and husband Frank, three of their children, Stanley, Harvey, Joan (Woodley) Marlenee, her husband Ben and their son Kevin. Preceding her also were four Oxford great grandchildren, infant twins of Ricky Oxford in 1984, and another set of infant twins in 1985. Bonnie is survived by her daughter Betty May Hurd of Corydon, Iowa, grandchildren, Ricky L. Oxford and wife Connie, Oklahoma, Randy L. Oxford, wife Cheryl and children, Kayla, Jeremiah and Lance, Russell, Iowa, Beth Lee and daughters Kayla, Amber and Chyna, foster granddaughter Kimberlee S. Wendell and sons Michal and James Sanders, Russell and Alexander Zigler of Huxley, Iowa. Also left behind are nine nieces and nephews. She will be missed by all long after her passing. Bonnie will be buried near her grandparents, mother, father and brother at the Powersville, Cemetery. Memorial to family To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Bonnalee McDowell please visit our Sympathy Store. Graveside Service OCT 28. 11:00 AM (CDT) Powersville West MainPowersville, MO 64672
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