Bonnie Martin

Bonita (Nuzum) Martin was born August 8, 1925, in Monona County, Iowa, to Howard and Beatrice (Coate) Nuzum. She married her high school sweetheart, Bill Martin, on June 17, 1944. They farmed in the Pisgah area for a number of years before moving to Council Bluffs. Bonnie was honored by Governor Tom Vilsack for making outstanding contributions to Iowa children by working in education for more than 60 years. She was a strong advocate for education and a role model for many young educators. Bonnie started teaching in a one-room schoolhouse. When the family moved to Council Bluffs, she started teaching in Carter Lake. She also taught elementary at Edison and DeForest in Council Bluffs. After a year of retirement she returned to the educational field at Child's First Step Preschool. Later she became a para-educator at Gunn, Rue and Hoover Elementary Schools in Council Bluffs. Her kind and loving spirit will live on through the many lives she touched.

Bonnie died on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, at her home in Council Bluffs at the age of 89 years and 11 months.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Colleen Martin Mehring and Shirley Nuzum; and four brothers, Gary, Leo, Kenneth and Bob Nuzum. She is survived by her husband of 71 years, Bill Martin of Council Bluffs, Iowa; daughter, Darlene (Lee) Olson of Montello, NV; three sons, Maynard (Dianne) Martin of Nevada, IA, Dennis (Suzanne) Martin of El Cajon, CA and Kim (Cindy) Martin of Council Bluffs, IA; eight grandchildren, Steve Olson, Brenda (Bruno) Ciccone, Alex (Maggie) Martin, Mindy (Jesse) Burr, Blaise Martin, Kody Martin, Kylie Martin, Renee (Jim) Meritt; 10 great grandchildren; 10 siblings, Alan "Jerry" (Joyce) Nuzum of Alma, WI, Jack (Shirley) Nuzum of Williston, ND, Darlene (Wilbur) Moore of Moorhead, IA, Jo Ann Runyan of Omaha, NE, Carol Sue Nuzum of Sioux City, IA, Barbara (Rex) Hargroves of Holstein, IA, Dale Nuzum of LeMars, IA, Joyce (Gary) Williams of Merrill, IA, Patricia (Ronnie) Johnson of Paulina, IA, Diane Oliver of Missouri Valley, IA; and many other family and friends.