Bonnie Lou Rausch

Bonnie Rausch from Temecula California passed away peacefully November 9th at the age of 88. Born Bonita Louise Catherine Nelson May 26th 1934 in Carroll Iowa to Knute and Frances Nelson who preceded her death along with an older half sister Norma Jean Nelson. She has 6 surviving siblings, Larry, Paul, Karen, Jane, Tom, & Teresa. Bonnie was previously married to Robert Wilson who preceded her death in 2013. Their surviving children are Mark, Kathryn, Jane, Robert, and Theodore. Bonnie re-married Curtis (Dean) Rausch in 1988 who passed away tragically in 1989.  There are 8 surviving children from Bonnie’s marriage to Dean who are from Dean’s previous marriage. Bonnie was a Grandmother to 12 children and a Great Grandmother to 9 more children.

Growing up in Carroll, Bonnie would help care for her siblings and would develop sewing skills while working in the family’s upholstery business, Nelson's Upholstery.  She was raised in the Catholic faith and graduated from a parochial school - St. Angela’s Academy in Carroll. Upon graduation she was encouraged to seek higher education. She would pay her own way to attend the University of Northern Iowa – Cedar Rapids, and then graduated with a two-year degree in education. In the late 1950's Bonnie made a difficult decision to leave Carroll and move to Southern California. She moved to the Long Beach area and became an elementary school teacher in Norwalk. After meeting and marrying Robert Wilson in Long Beach, Bonnie would leave her teaching career to focus on motherhood, homemaking, and raising her children in the Garden Grove California area.

Prior to residing in Temecula Bonnie enjoyed beach living in the San Clemente area and made many friends there. She loved to deep sea fish and was an active member with the Lady Anglers fishing club. She enjoyed cycling with friends and was a regular downhill snow skier. Patchwork quilting was also a hobby that she enjoyed with a quilting group based in San Juan Capistrano. She has gifted and shared with family and friends many of the quilts she made along with clothing, table runners, and wall hangings that she expertly sewed over the years. Bonnie’s family will always remember her for her adventurous spirit, kindness, thoughtfulness, and devotion to her Catholic faith.

Services for Bonnie will be held at St. Martha Catholic Church in Murrieta on December 7^th at 10am. As an option, should you prefer to send condolences in lieu of flowers, a donation to the Parkinson’s Foundation, can be made in her name. (@ parkinsons.org). Another donation option would be to a charity that organizes fishing trips for disadvantaged, physically challenged, and at-risk children who may not have opportunities to see or experience the ocean and fishing. (@ captainrollos.com).