Bonita K. “Bonnie” Vance of Mount Pleasant, passed away on Monday, July 15, 2024, at her home surrounded by her family.
She was born in Mt. Pleasant, IA on May 20, 1946, the daughter of J. Milton “Milt” Becker and Bernice “Benny” (Bentler) Becker. She attended St Alphonsus Grade School and Mt Pleasant High School where she was very active in various activities. After graduating from high school, she attended Creighton University, but she heard the call of the skies and became a flight attendant for TWA. During her career as a flight attendant, she met several famous people such as Lucille Ball and Joan Crawford. The latter required the removal of all Coca Cola from any plane on which she travelled. While working for TWA she became the first woman to operate a jetway at St. Louis’ Lambert International Airport. During this period, she met and married Matt Steinberg. They had two children, Amy (Adam) Earley of Round Rock, TX, and Marc (Jessica) Steinberg of Leander, TX. After that marriage ended, Bonnie worked as a bookkeeper for some businesses in Austin Texas until she and her children moved back to Mt. Pleasant in 1986 where she worked as an office manager and salesperson in the family business, Becker’s Jewelers. On January 1, 1995, she married Michael Vance and she added to her family his children Thomas (Morgan) Vance of Chicago, IL, and Patrick (“KC”) Vance of Peoria, AZ.
Bonnie loved being with family and rarely missed a Bentler Reunion. She enjoyed visiting the children and grandchildren and the trips to Austin, Phoenix and Okoboji. She enjoyed cooking and displayed her talent at many gatherings of family or friends. Bonnie and Mike liked to travel, and they checked off all 50 states and six different continents, including Antarctica. Bonnie was active in Questers, many bridge clubs, Alter & Rosary Society and her church. She enjoyed playing games of chance, bridge and rooting for the Cubs, Packers and the Hawkeyes, especially the Men’s and Women’s Hawkeye basketball teams. She was known to score the basketball games as she watched.
Survivors include her husband, Mike of Mt Pleasant, her four children Amy, Marc, Tom & Patrick, and their spouses. Her granddaughter Marlow Earley and grandsons Kieran and Asher Vance and Jack Earley. Her brothers James (Candace) Becker of Mt. Pleasant, IA, and William (Cynthia) Becker of Burlington, IA. Her sister-in-law Karen (Dale) Ratterman of Epworth, IA, brother-in-law Russell (Kimberly) Vance of Glendale, AZ, and her nieces and nephews Lydia, Grace, Cameron, Dillon and Alexander Becker; Derek Vance, Danielle Gagnier, Joseph Ratterman and Elizabeth Ratterman.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a nephew AJ Becker.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, July 29, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at the St Alphonsus Catholic Church in Mount Pleasant with Father Ross Epping, Father Nick Adam, Father Ed Fritzpatrick and Father Tom Spiegel celebrating the mass. Bonnie’s family will receive friends on Sunday, August 28, 2024, at the St. Alphonsus Catholic Church from 4 to 6 p.m. following the visitation a Scripture Service will be held. Memorials have been established for University of Iowa Holden Cancer Center, Every Step Hospice & St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com
Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant, is caring for her arrangements.
