1944
Bonita
2019
Bonita Martha McRae
October 8, 1944 — March 25, 2019
Bonita "Bonnie" M. McRae, 74, of Red Wing died, Monday, March 25, 2019 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester.
She was born October 8, 1944 in Lake City to Vernon and Dorothy (Kohrs) Deden. She grew up on the family farm in Hay Creek Township south of Red Wing, where she spent much of her time as her Dad's #1 farm hand. She graduated from Red Wing Central High School in 1962 and went on to attend the Minneapolis School of Business. On August 1, 1964 she married Gerald McRae, her high school classmate, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hay Creek. The couple moved to Northfield for two years before relocating back to Red Wing where they raised their family. In 1968 Bonnie and Jerry bought the McRae family farm and started O'Mac Stables on the land where the Red Wing Mayo Clinic and Menards now stand. Together, they owned and operated the stables, keeping, training and showing horses. During the summer months they hosted youth riders, creating a summer camp for anywhere between 15 and 25 kids where they learned to raise and show horses. Bonnie kept the books and kept the campers fed, making her like a second mother to dozens of children over the years. After they sold the stables and moved to their current farm, Bonnie would recreate their summer camps for her grandchildren, hosting "Kid Camp" or "Grandma Camp" (depending on who you asked.) For 15 years she also worked at USPS delivering the mail. She "retired" in 2015 and returned to running the farm full time with Jerry.
Bonnie loved playing cards, especially Euchre and was a member of the same card club for more than 25 years. She enjoyed traveling with Jerry, first for work as part of the stables and later for fun and to see the friends they made through the horse shows over the years. They often shared their road trips with their family friends, the Hemenways. She loved spending time with her animals, drinking coffee from the back deck and watching the cows and horses in the pasture. She enjoyed being a grandmother and always looked forward to time with her family. Bonnie was the happiest when she was working hard, side by side, with the love of her life, Jerry.
She is survived by her husband, Jerry of Red Wing; children, Joseph (Nancy) of Deephaven, Minn., Ann (Bob) Gonsior of Red Wing and Helen Yates of Tucson, Ariz.; six grandchildren, Kenna and Ellen McRae, Olivia, Samuel and Wyatt Gonsior and Ryan Yates; one sister, Lynn (Paul) Wallace as well as many nieces, nephews, God children, other family and many friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Marcene Reder.
Memorial service will be 11 a.m., Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Vasa Lutheran Church with Rev. Maureen Hagen officiating. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m., Friday, April 5, 2019 at the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel, and one hour prior to the service at church. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com
602 Plum Street P.O. Box 111
Red Wing, MN, 55066
15235 Norelius Road
Welch, MN, 55089
15235 Norelius Road
Welch, MN, 55089
She was born October 8, 1944 in Lake City to Vernon and Dorothy (Kohrs) Deden. She grew up on the family farm in Hay Creek Township south of Red Wing, where she spent much of her time as her Dad's #1 farm hand. She graduated from Red Wing Central High School in 1962 and went on to attend the Minneapolis School of Business. On August 1, 1964 she married Gerald McRae, her high school classmate, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hay Creek. The couple moved to Northfield for two years before relocating back to Red Wing where they raised their family. In 1968 Bonnie and Jerry bought the McRae family farm and started O'Mac Stables on the land where the Red Wing Mayo Clinic and Menards now stand. Together, they owned and operated the stables, keeping, training and showing horses. During the summer months they hosted youth riders, creating a summer camp for anywhere between 15 and 25 kids where they learned to raise and show horses. Bonnie kept the books and kept the campers fed, making her like a second mother to dozens of children over the years. After they sold the stables and moved to their current farm, Bonnie would recreate their summer camps for her grandchildren, hosting "Kid Camp" or "Grandma Camp" (depending on who you asked.) For 15 years she also worked at USPS delivering the mail. She "retired" in 2015 and returned to running the farm full time with Jerry.
Bonnie loved playing cards, especially Euchre and was a member of the same card club for more than 25 years. She enjoyed traveling with Jerry, first for work as part of the stables and later for fun and to see the friends they made through the horse shows over the years. They often shared their road trips with their family friends, the Hemenways. She loved spending time with her animals, drinking coffee from the back deck and watching the cows and horses in the pasture. She enjoyed being a grandmother and always looked forward to time with her family. Bonnie was the happiest when she was working hard, side by side, with the love of her life, Jerry.
She is survived by her husband, Jerry of Red Wing; children, Joseph (Nancy) of Deephaven, Minn., Ann (Bob) Gonsior of Red Wing and Helen Yates of Tucson, Ariz.; six grandchildren, Kenna and Ellen McRae, Olivia, Samuel and Wyatt Gonsior and Ryan Yates; one sister, Lynn (Paul) Wallace as well as many nieces, nephews, God children, other family and many friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Marcene Reder.
Memorial service will be 11 a.m., Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Vasa Lutheran Church with Rev. Maureen Hagen officiating. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m., Friday, April 5, 2019 at the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel, and one hour prior to the service at church. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com
Visitation
APR 5. 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM (CDT)
Bodelson Mahn Chapel - Mahn Family Funeral Home602 Plum Street P.O. Box 111
Red Wing, MN, 55066
Visitation
APR 6. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (CDT)
Vasa Lutheran Church15235 Norelius Road
Welch, MN, 55089
Memorial Service
APR 6. 11:00 AM (CDT)
Vasa Lutheran Church15235 Norelius Road
Welch, MN, 55089
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Bonita Martha McRae, please visit our flower store.
Guestbook
Photo Gallery
Visits: 9
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors