Boneti (Bonnie) Beatrice Petty was born December 10, 1939 in Iowa City, Iowa. She was the only daughter of Verbena Berry Goben and Pearl A. Goben. She passed away January 9, 2018, in Chariton, Iowa at the age of 78 years. Bonnie was raised in Lucas, Iowa until the age of ten. After the death of her father her mother married Charles R. Sylvara and they moved to a farm southwest of Chariton. Bonnie attended a one room country school for three years. To attend the country school she had to walk a mile and a half each way. One mile of that was gravel, thereafter taking a school bus to Chariton High School. To catch the school bus was easy, only a half mile of mud or dust, or snow and ice to walk. She was raised a farm girl and a lover of animals, having had many cherished pets in her life. Bonnie married Clell R. Petty on June 21, 1960. To this union their one and only child, a daughter Katherine Di-Anne was born. Bonnie lived her entire married life in the same house in Chariton. Bonnie's hobby was writing poetry which she had done since the age of thirteen. In 1984 she joined the local writing workshop group, The Morning Writers, which had long been the main highlight of her social life. There she found such happiness being among other writers and poets. She learned to write short stories, a couple of children's books, and some editorials. She also liked to write long letters about everyday things in her life, her town and her family's lives. In addition to her writing, she loved traditional country music, watching car racing, playing card games and Yahtzee, and collecting and trying out new recipes. One of her greatest passions in later years, to which she gave much time and devotion, was to personally and individually match her original verses with Christmas cards and distribute them each holiday season to hundreds of people. Those people included friends, family, neighbors, and many others in the town of Chariton, such as nursing home and hospice patients, and the volunteers who helped make her life easier. She had enormous appreciation for the services and staff of Circle of Friends Home Care, and also Circle of Life Hospice/Legacy Lodge, where she received the best of care in her final days. Bonnie was baptized in the United Methodist Church in 1997. She was preceded in death by her parents along with her four brothers, Richard Goben of Rolla, Missouri; Robert J. Goben of Chariton, Iowa; Charles Alvin Goben of Rolla, Missouri; and Delmer Ross Goben of Kerrville, Texas. Her husband Clell Petty passed away February 12, 1998. She leaves behind her daughter Katherine Carlson, son-in-law Raymond Carlson; two grandchildren, Jenny Elizabeth Ludington (and husband James) of Allerton, and Benjamin Edward Carlson of Chariton; as well as great-grandsons Cameron McGraw and Dwaine Ludington, and great-granddaughter Cheyenne Ludington, all of Allerton. Fielding Funeral Home made arrangements for Bonnie’s cremation. Her name will join that of her late husband on his stone at the Chariton cemetery. A memorial service will be planned by the family at a later time. She wished to be remembered by her grandkids and great-grandkids as Grandma Bonnie. She also wanted to be remembered as an author of hundreds of poems, and several short stories. She was a very kind hearted and special lady, her life impacted more people than she realized, and she will be remembered and missed by many.

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