Bonnie Dee Rochford

Bonnie Dee Rochford, 79, of Galesburg, died at 9:07 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, 2017 with her family by her side in OSF St. Mary Medical Center, Galesburg.

Bonnie was born January 21, 1938 in Reeseville, IA the daughter of Nels C. and Grace L. Bristol Nielsen. She married John J. Rochford on June 5, 1993 in Galesburg. Bonnie is survived by her loving husband, John of Galesburg; three daughters, Connie (Howard) Sprenger of Woodbury, MN, Katherine (Mark) Van Winkle of St. Paul, MN, and Lynn (Charles Dunn) Reckman of East Galesburg; one step daughter, Rachel (Ben) Bergren of Sausalito, CA; one brother, Duane (Marge) Nielsen of Davenport, IA; and one sister, Nola Nielsen of Darien. Bonnie is also survived by her pride and joy, five grandchildren, Tara Wells, Renee Carlson, Brandi Reckman, Vincent Vera, and Jason Klein; seven great grandchildren; and two step grandchildren, Mollie and Max Gross. Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Chesley Nielsen.

Bonnie worked at Waste Management for 29 years, retiring in 2002. She was a member of First Lutheran Church in Galesburg. She loved watching the Chicago Cubs, going fishing, and traveling.

The rosary will be prayed at 4 p.m. Sunday June 4, 2017 at Watson-Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, Galesburg with visitation following from 5 to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Rev. Ben Bergren will officiate. Burial will follow in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Galesburg. Memorials may be made in Bonnie’s memory to St. Vincent DePaul Society or to the family to be given to the nursing program at Carl Sandburg College. Online expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.watsonthomas.com.