Obituary of Bonnie Pottorff

Bonnie Lynn Eller was born on June 19 1957 at the Cheyenne County Hospital in St Francis KS joining the family of Gene and Eunice (McGriff) Eller to the delight of 3 year old sister Connie Gene. The family lived in Bird City Kansas where Gene worked for Eunice's uncle Leonard Mast at the Mast Repair Shop, and Eunice was a stay-at-home mom. Bonnie was a happy little girl and loved to follow her big sister everywhere she went as a tag-a-long. During summer time the family enjoyed spending weekends at the area lakes with family and friends and Bonnie loved playing and wading in the water. Connie and Bonnie spent many hours with their great-uncles and aunts Melvin and Dorthy Mast and Leonard and Wilma Mast and their families during their childhood. Gene and Eunie were very family oriented and their family usually spent holidays at the home of Eunie’s parents, Lawrence and Clara (Mast) McGriff in Seibert CO, or Gene’s parents Loyd and Fern (Loudner) Eller in Gaylord KS. There were many many cousins and they all loved getting together for family reunions. Bonnie was baptized as an infant in the St John Lutheran Church by Pastor Radloff and started making sunday school friends by the age of 3. She started kindergarten in the fall of 1962 at the Bird City Grade school with Mrs Boersma as her first school teacher. After working as a city employee for a time, Gene started working for the Cheyenne County KS road crew in the early 1960’s. In the summer of 1967 the family moved to St Francis KS. Bonnie started 5th grade in a new school and made many new friends. They would spend many hours after school and in the summer playing on the school playground since it was only a half block from home. In the fall of 1969 Gene again changed jobs and moved the family to Burlington CO where he began working at McArthur John Deere Implement and Bonnie finished the second semester of 7th grade in yet another new school. In the spring of 1969 she was confirmed at the St Paul Lutheran Church in Burlington CO and became involved with Luther League. She supported the Cougars and was involved in band and pep club during her high school years, graduating from Burlington High School with the class of 1975. Bonnie enjoyed working at the local Sonic Drive In and Dairy Queen as well as other jobs she found along the way. After 3 failed marriages, she and her partner Dave Padgett became parents on November 13 1984 of a sweet baby girl they named Angela Marie. They were living in Midland TX and when the relationship failed soon after Angie was born Bonnie brought her baby back to Burlington. After being a single mom for several years, she reconnected with a young man from her past who became the love of her life, and On August 2 1992 Bonnie became the bride of Arthur Lee Pottorff in Burlington, CO. The family continued to live in Burlington where Lee worked with his father-in-law at McArthurs. On March 28 1995 Angie became a big sister when Travis Lee was born, and she was always willing to help her mother with her little brother. The sudden death of her mother on March 27, 1997 was a huge shock for Bonnie, and one from which she never completely recovered. Another blow came a three short years later when her dad died on August 12, 2000. Lee and Bonnie moved to Grand Junction CO in 2003. Though there were trials, failures, and heartache in Bonnie’s life, she was always able to find joy and happiness by surrounding herself with animals, people and especially her family. Because she loved people and animals, she was always willing to help anyone down on their luck, or an animal that needed a loving home. She was a loving and caring wife, mother and friend and her death will leave a huge void in the lives of those who knew and loved her. Bonnie died July 15 2013 in Grand Junction after a short illness. She was preceded in death by her parents Gene and Eunice Eller, her grandparents Lawrence and Clara McGriff , and Loyd and Fern Eller, Niece Dainelle Pottorff, two uncles and four aunts. Surviving family are her loving husband of 20 years Lee, her daughter Angela and husband Michael Rivera of Arvada CO and their children Dakota, Cheyenne and Julie, and her son Travis of the home. Sister Connie and husband Pat Rooney of Stratton, NE, nephew Chad Miller of St. Francis Ks, and niece Gena and husband Matthew Olson of Junction City Ks, Sister in law Vivian (Clyde) Kingsbury,of Clifton Co, Brother in laws Sam Miller of St. Francis Ks, Wayne (Patty) Pottorff of Security Co, Lynn (Sally) Pottorff of Burlington Co, Neice Monique (Tony) Hummrick and their children Riley, Tristin, and Levin , Nephews Shawn(Amber) Hawkins and their children Tyler, Zac, Greg and Addison of Grand Junction , Adam (Torrie) Pottorff and their children Keegan and Kohyn of Northglenn. Also Surviving, two great-aunts, two aunts, and many many cousins and friends. Including 2 best friends throughout the many years are Connie Bernath and Nancy Morris.