Bonnie Wilkening

Bonnie Wilkening, 85, passed away Tuesday, July 18, 2016, at The Arbors at Auburn Creek after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

A celebration of her life will be Saturday at the Fellowship Hall of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau.

She was born Sept. 25, 1930, in Jackson to Roy B. Smith and Rika Loos Smith. She married Lynn Wilkening on May 25, 1952. Lynn passed away suddenly in February 1957.

She then raised their two children, Matt and Kim, with the help of her extended family while working as a librarian for the Cape Girardeau Public Schools, first at Central High School and then at Louis J. Schultz School — the seventh-grade center — until her retirement. During this time, she earned a bachelor’s degree in library science and a master’s degree in history, both from Southeast Missouri State University. She was a devoted member of Evangelical United Church of Christ in Cape Girardeau.

Bonnie loved road trips with her family through the United States and, after retirement, trips to Alaska and beyond with friends. She also delighted in working with children at her church and loved working in her yard, where she could enjoy the birds and flowers.

She is survived by her son, Matt Wilkening of Boise, Idaho; daughter, Kim (Jeff) Pickel of Cape Girardeau; grandchildren, Ali Wilkening and Jamie and Bonnie Pickel; and a brother, R.B. Smith of Wyoming.

The family would like to express its thanks again to all the caring staff at The Arbors and Saint Francis Hospice for the exceptional care Bonnie received.

Bonnie was an informal person, and thus the celebration of her life is informal. It will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at St. Andrew Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Cape Girardeau.

Those wishing to honor Bonnie with memorials may send them to Disabled American Veterans, 400 S. 18th St., Room 119, St. Louis, MO 63103, dav.org; or Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washington St., Suite 200, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481, curealz.org.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.