Ted Bonnet

Theophil "Ted" Bonnet, age 79, of Glendive, Montana, passed away on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at the Glendive Medical Center. A Life Tribute Service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Monday, July 21, 2008 at the Chapel of the Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home in Glendive with Celebrant Sandy Silha officiating. Interment will be in the Dawson County Cemetery in Glendive. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive is entrusted with arrangements. Ted was born on March 26, 1929, nine miles west of McClusky, North Dakota, the son of Peter and Christina (Zindler) Bonnet. He went to school at Profit Township District #2 for the first through fifth grade. Ted then went to school in McClusky and graduated with the class of 1948. He went to the Morris Code School in Minneapolis, in connection with the railroad. Ted was united in marriage to Barbara Hanson on December 24, 1949 in Minneapolis and they made their home there for two years while Ted worked as an electrician for the Burlington Northern Railroad. Later the family moved to Glendive where Ted went to work for Safeway Stores. Ted and his wife moved to Missoula, Montana in 1979 and he retired from Safeway Stores in 1995. Barbara preceded Ted in death on December 13, 1997. He moved back to Glendive in 2003 where he has resided since. Ted was a member of the Loyal order of the Moose. He enjoyed paddlefishing, hunting and wood working. Survivors include his daughters, Mashal Knoll and her husband Gordon of Glendive, Bonnie Sanders and her husband Bob and Sharon Micklewright and her husband Darrell, all of Kalispell, Montana, Carol Bryan and her husband Ray of Texas and Montana Galland and her husband Gary of Missoula; his sister, Irene Neuhart and her husband Bob of McClusky, North Dakota; six grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Celebrant Service: “No person is ever truly lost or gone once they have been in our life and loved us, as we have loved them.”(Leslie Marmon Silko) Theophil “Ted” Bonnet has been a strong presence in the lives of his family. His love for them was great, and he did not assume they just knew he loved them, Ted would tell them he loved them with words, with touch, with acceptance of who they were as individuals, with humor, with his caring ways, and with simple discipline. And it was for just these things that Ted was greatly loved by his family. Ted was the youngest of 12 children, a first generation American of Prussian immigrants. His early years were spent on the family homestead in rural North Dakota. Ted spoke only German until he entered the first grade, and throughout his life, continued to speak German when visiting with his brothers and sisters, and anyone else who could speak the old German. This was much to the dismay of his children, who would listen in on the conversations and laughter but could not understand any of it. Ted met his future wife, Barbara, who was from a neighboring town and they were married, a bit spontaneously, on a snowy, stormy Christmas Eve in 1949, with two friends as their witnesses. That began Ted and Barbara’s 49 year marriage, where they loved and raised a family, and built a life together. They made a good team, struggling to make ends meet, sometimes each holding two jobs, working hard, playing hard, and raising their six children. Ted had an energy and zest for life and a wonderful sense of humor that he carried with him through many things in his lifetime. His sense of humor and love of teasing and jokes is what comes to mind when his daughters and grandchildren talk of Ted. It was an important part of their family life and their relationships. Around the time of the Korean Conflict, Ted went to boot camp and spent some time in the National Guard being based out of Bismarck, North Dakota. After moving to Montana, Ted made many a trip to North Dakota, loading his family in the car after work and heading to North Dakota to visit he and Barbara’s families. Ted preferred to drive at night, and Barbara would say it was because then when they went through Bismarck, the stores were closed and he didn’t have to stop for her to shop. Ted drove a big green station wagon. He would lay down the back seats and throw a mattress in the back for the kids to sleep on during the trip. Sometimes the kids would sleep and sometimes the temptation to throw things out the back window was irresistible. Everyone knew that they had better go to the bathroom before leaving because potty breaks were not a reason to stop! Other times winter weather and/or car trouble would slow the trip. One cold, winter night, Ted got a flat tire. It was very cold, and he would only let Barbara turn on the car for heat for short periods of time as he fixed the flat tire, not wanting to run out of gas. Another time when traveling alone, Ted told his family of being stranded on the road in the cold and lighting cigarettes and putting them between his fingers and letting them burn. When the cigarettes burned down and burned his fingers, it would wake him and that helped him not to freeze to death while asleep. These experiences contributed to frostbite on his feet and fingers. But he still continued to travel to North Dakota a great deal. Ted’s five daughters don’t remember “vacationing” anywhere else. Ted would take them out to the family homestead and show them around, and they would visit all the relatives. The girls were also very familiar with Medora, a favorite of their father’s. Ted worked very hard during his lifetime. He worked for the railroad for a time, drove truck and worked at Safeway grocery stores, which he loved. In addition, he and Barbara would work at the Moose Club, cooking and bartending for functions and special events held there. Ted enjoyed bowling, and he and Barbara loved to dance. They were wonderful rollerskaters and could dance on rollerskates as a pair. Some of his favorite music was accordian music and Ted could do a mean polka! Ted’s favorite activities were hunting and fishing. If you went with Ted, you better be prepared to gut your own animals or clean your own fish, and all meat and fish were eaten. Ted’s family had many a meal of venison, and Ted always did his own processing. He also had a delicious summer sausage recipe that he would make. The whole family would get in on the game processing. Daughter, Mashal, remembers that she learned the job of wrapping, with son, Wendall, grinding the meat, and daughter, Bonnie, was the sausage stuffer. One side of Ted’s garage was for hanging game. Daughter Carol recalls one year when five or six deer were hanging and although she did not hunt, she had to tell him she had put a poached deer in with his. Carol had caught a ride home after work with a co-worker. It was about 2 am and as they were driving down the street, there stood a large buck in the road. Carol’s co-worker jumped out and shot the buck and loaded the deer in the trunk of his Ford Mustang, with the deer legs hanging out. Scared and certain they would be caught, Carol made her co-worker get her home, and then they hung the deer with all the others Ted had hanging. As she came in to go to bed, Carol told her father that there was one more deer in the garage. The next morning, Ted, woke her up with the comment that a game warden was down stairs to talk to her. Carol looked out her window and saw a strange red pick-up in the driveway. Ted, laughing, told Carol’s sisters, he could hear her pacing upstairs, afraid to come down. There was no game warden, just Ted enjoying the moment. Ted’s favorite fishing spot was Georgetown Lake, but he would fish anywhere, for almost any kind of fish. On one outing with his young daughter, Tana, and granddaughter, Jody, not many fish were caught because they returned home early and the two youngsters raced to the bathroom. Ted claimed that he had told them to go in the bushes, but for some strange reason they would not, citing a fear of being bitten by snakes that might be lurking there. It was pretty obvious where they had gotten that idea. In his daily life, Ted was an avid coffee drinker, starting with his first cup of coffee early in the morning and ending when the day was over. Ted enjoyed his cigarettes, which probably contributed to his emphysema later in life. He was a good cook, with his speciality being the meat for the meals. He always made the turkey for holiday dinners and his dressing was the best and a secret he wouldn’t share. Daughters, Bonnie and Mashal, spied on him one night when he was mixing it up, trying to figure out the recipe, but the most they got out of that was Ted and Barbara arguing about how much garlic to put in the dressing. Ted loved spicy food and grandson, Levi, reports that to eat Grandpa’s chili, he, Levi, had to drink a big jug of milk to cool down his mouth. It cured Levi of eating chili. Ted had diabetes, and so of course had to watch his sugar intake. But ice cream and chocolate were favorites and hard to resist. Barbara would let him have ice cream but only one scoop. But Ted and the rest of the family ate it regularly. Grandaughter, Dawn, recalls going to Tastee Freeze and getting one container of vanilla for Grandma, one of chocolate for Grandpa, and one of vanilla/chocolate twist for the grandkids. And when Grandpa ate ice cream with the grandkids, he’d comment that what grandma said didn’t count. The Hershey chocolate kisses you found as you were seated are the family’s way of sharing with you Ted’s favorite way to satisfy that chocolate craving. Please enjoy! Another pleasure of Ted’s was making wine. According to grandson, Mike, Grandpa would buy grapes and makes gallons of really good, but really strong wine. He did not allow the young grandkids to drink any, except at Christmas when everyone, regardless of age, got one glass. It was a special tradition of Ted’s. Ted loved Christmas. Barbara would get him out stringing lights in July and he had many special ornaments and decorations from when he was young, that would be put out for the holiday season. During their growing up years, Ted’s children and grandchildren remember some things about Ted that seemed to be his standard. One was his hair. If you looked at the pictures on the memory board that the family put together, you will see Ted combed his hair a special way. He put a certain “wave” or “curl” on the top of his head. Even when he started losing his hair he always had this curl on top. Mashal remembers that when Mike was born, Ted was looking at him through the nursery window and making “google” eyes at Mike. The nurse then combed Mike’s hair with that special “curl” on top of his head. When the nurse brought Mike to Mashal, Mashal asked why on earth his hair was combed like that. The nurse told her she had combed it like the baby’s father’s hair. Mashal informed the nurse that Ted was Mike’s grandfather, not his father, and not to comb the baby’s hair like that. Another standard of Ted’s was that you learned to work. Many of the jobs Ted’s children had were working with their parents at the Moose for the special events. Helping in the kitchen, cleaning, serving the food, whatever needed to be done. The grandkids all learned to mow the lawn. Ted would follow them around the first time to make sure they did it right, but then that was their job. Another common memory was of Ted taking them out to eat. With daughters Carol and Sharon it was to Big Boy for burgers. Except, that as Sharon puts it, the burgers were no good. So the girls would stick the uneaten burgers under their fathers seat. For Bonnie and Mashal, Ted would take them to A & W for burgers and root beer. And he would tell them he did not want to find burgers under the seats. The grandkids remember Chucky Cheese. Ted just wanted to please them by taking them to somewhere he thought they enjoyed eating. Ted was great for keeping his children and grandchildren off balance with his humor. One thing they enjoyed teasing him about was his round potbelly. They were always asking him when the due date was or when was he going to deliver. Well, a couple years ago, Ted bought a T-shirt to answer all that. It read, “This is not a beer belly; it’s a fuel tank for a sex machine.” He also gave his grandson Tommy the same shirt. When his kids were little, Ted would have them pull his finger, and then he would pass gas. With the grandkids, he would tell them if they weren’t good, he was going to get the screwdriver, unscrew their bellybutton and then their body parts would fall off. He also scared his grandchildren by taking his teeth out or moving them out of his mouth and clicking them. No one appreciated him doing that. Granddaughters Dawn and Jeanee would come summers and stay with their grandparents. One memory of Jeanee’s is of her grandfather’s snoring. Ted would take catnaps because he worked many nights and he could get quite a snore going. It was impressive. Dawn and Jeanee’s best memories are of going to Ted’s favorite hot springs, Sleepy Child, and sitting in the hot springs all day, going fishing at Georgetown Lake, and the trip to see Bonnie in California. On the drive to California, Dawn reports Ted winning $500 on the slots at the first stop in Nevada. He didn’t tell anyone but Dawn says they all got extra treats and when they went to Six Flags amusement park there were extra rides. Bonnie couldn’t believe her father and Dawn. They got on the biggest, scariest roller coaster and rode in the front and would not get off. They loved riding. Daughter Sharon says Ted and she would ride the roller coaster in Billings, too. Ted loved the excitement of the wild ride. Ted had a wild ride with grandson, Tommy, on a trip to a doctor’s appointment in Miles City. Ted was driving his van and talking to Tommy, telling Tommy how he hadn’t had an accident in a long while. Tommy is suddenly yelling “deer, deer!” Ted swerves and rolls the van. No one is hurt, but Ted had to be cut out of the van. Quite an exciting ride. Granddaughter Jody, Ted’s first grandchild, had a special relationship with her grandfather. Born two months later than Ted’s daughter Tana, Jody’s early years were spent with her grandparents helping raise her. Jody and Tana were more like sisters that aunt and niece. One story from their early childhood came about one summer day when Ted was checking groceries at Safeway. One of the other checkers said, “Ted, is that your two diapers out in the parking lot.” Sure enough, Jody and Tana had escaped the yard just across the railroad tracks and went through the underpass to visit Ted at his store. Jody vividly remembers Ted taking the two diapered, pigtailed toddlers by the hand and marching them home, probably cussing the whole way. For Jody, she idolized Ted. He was the father figure in her life, joking with her, teasing her, disciplining her, loving her, being there when she needed someone. When Jody was 18, she was having a difficult pregnancy, and not supposed to be on her feet. Ted, bad back and all, would not let her walk up steps but carried her. From the time she was a baby he looked out for Jody. Because Tana and Jody birthdays were so close, when Tana celebrated her birthday in June, Jody got the same presents. On Jody’s birthday in August, Tana celebrated too and got whatever Jody got. Ted couldn’t bring himself to get for one and not the other. Ted was like that with the kids and grandkids. He always tried to satisfy their wants, not just their needs. Daughter Bonnie tells of getting a bicycle as a gift. Mashal wanted one too, but Ted really couldn’t afford to get another one. So he went out and bought a banana seat, and told them they could ride together. That was Ted. Solving the family problems, one way or another. Many times, he wouldn’t say much, he would just get it done. Ted is loved and will be greatly missed for many things; his sense of humor, his work ethic, his hands–on parenting, and his expressions of love, both by words and deeds. Ted was not judgmental and would accept you for who you were, never bad-mouthing you to others if he thought you had done wrong. He was very protective of all his family. Perhaps the hardest events for Ted during his lifetime were when his son, Wendall, was killed in a motorcycle accident, and when he lost Barbara. With the tragedy of Wendall, Ted suffered a loss of faith which took years to recover. And with the loss of Barbara, Ted suffered from loneliness, greatly missing his life partner. For Ted’s family, a strong presence in their lives is gone. Ted will be remembered with much love and many smiles. Poem: a long road I've traveled, dirt, stones, hay and concrete. Each step of life is a memory, some are shared, some are private. I've reached the sea now, I have a new road to travel. Though I travel far away, if home is where the heart is, I am with you all. Let me know if you like it. Poem: Heaven I am in a world of flowers and beauty, I feel the mist in the bright morning sky. I hear the trees swaying in the wind. I hear birds singing a happy tune. My mouth waters as I smell the beautiful flowers around me. I have beautiful golden wings that carry me through the sky. The flower in my hair is singing. I am not in a world of pain and sorrow anymore. I am in a world of peace and harmony. Heaven is the place for me. Misty Jean-Anne Witt Let us now listen to a song chosen by family members that reminds them of Ted called “Ice Cream.” Song: “Ice Cream” by Sarah McLaughlin Celebrant: At this time, Ted’s daughter, Tana Galland and granddaughter, Jeanee Demery, would like to share a couple readings with us. After they are finished, the microphone will remain open for a few minutes for any who wishes to share a story or memory about Ted. Readings and sharing “Don’t Cry For Me” “Don’t cry for me It’s not tears that I’m after For the most precious sound Is a loved ones laughter. Don’t cry for me Don’t feel any sorrow As I have a new view Of the sunrises of tomorrow. Don’t cry for me Please feel no pain For I am the rainbow After a gentle spring rain. Don’t cry for me Just smile and believe That I am a shining star On a warm summer’s eve. Prayer read by grandson Mike Knoll at the close of the committal service. “The Broken Chain” “We little knew that morning That God would call your name In Life we loved you dearly In death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you You did not go alone For part of us went with you The day God called you home. You left us precious memories Your love is still our guide And though we cannot see you You are always by our side. Our family chain is broken And nothing seems the same But as God calls us one by one. The chain will link again. Celebrant: Closing Ted probably could have appreciated comedian/actor Woody Allen’s words, “I don’t mind dying, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” Death is a sad, unpleasant fact of life. Dealing with the death of a loved one is a difficult task, one we certainly would not do, given the choice. But by taking time today to honor Ted with respect and love, by taking time to pay tribute to him by sharing memories and his story, it reminds us just how important the touch of others is in our own lives. Carol, Sharon, Bonnie, Mashal, Tana and family, Ted taught you many lessons and left you a legacy of gifts. You have spoken of his love for you, and you for him; you have spoken of him as a wonderful family man. In sharing memories you have remembered forgotten moments, and learned about this man from another’s view of him. The significance of his life has been so very important to family, friends, and community. The loss of Ted leaves a big hole in the hearts of many. Ted Bonnet will be alive as long as he is remembered and who could ever forget him? The stories his life created will keep his memory and his presence alive long into future generations. We will close Ted Bonnet’s life tribute service with Vince Gill’s song, “Go Rest High On That Mountain.” Thank you all for being here today. Song: “Go Rest High On That Mountain” by Vince Gill

Ted Bonnet

March 26, 1929 - July 21, 2008

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Ted Bonnet

March 26, 1929 - July 21, 2008

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

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