Lavonne "Bonnie" Kathleen Rust

Lavonne “Bonnie” Kathleen Rust, 89, of Grundy Center, passed away peacefully on the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital.

Memorial services for Bonnie were held at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 27 at the First Baptist Church located at 310 I Ave E, Grundy Center. Pastor Nathan Barkley officiated the service. For the safety of all those attending, the family asked for all those attending the funeral to wear a mask. Memorial contributions may be directed in Bonnie’s name to her family which will later be designated elsewhere. For further information or to leave an online condolence please visit www.abelsfuneralhomes.com. Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home is caring for Bonnie and her family.

Lavonne Kathleen Cuffel was born on January 14, 1932 in Shell Rock, the daughter of Howard H. and Vera Mabel (Hanawalt) Cuffel. Bonnie’s family moved to Conrad where she was raised and educated in the Conrad school district and graduated from Conrad with the class of 1950. Bonnie was united in marriage to Harlan Gene Rust on August 11, 1950 in Iowa Falls. From this union the couple were blessed with two children: Darrell and Patricia.

Bonnie was a hard-working woman, dedicating 16 years at Ritchie Industries in Conrad as well as operating a day care for many years and raising her own family. Bonnie was a member of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center. In her younger years, she enjoyed spending time baking all sorts of goodies or in her garden. The last four years of her life, Bonnie lived at Arlington Place in Grundy Center, and she loved all the different card games and board games they played together. However, Bonnie was a little bit competitive when it came to her games and didn’t lose often. As much as she loved the time spent baking as a young woman or playing cards in her elder years, the number one thing that Bonnie cherished the most was her love for her Savior Jesus Christ and the time spent making memories with her family and friends..

Left to cherish Bonnie’s memory are her children: Darrell (Melanie) Rust of Bloomington, Illinois and Pat (Gordon) Bloxham of Grundy Center; grandchildren: Erika (Joshua) Zilm, Michael Rust, Brian (Michelle) Rust, Kyle Reiter, Julia (Joseph) Jelinek and Lottie Bloxham; great-grandchildren: Ava, Ella, Savannah, Evelyn, Anthony, Clara, Elliette, Greyson and Audrey; brother: Jerry (Jan) Cuffel; brother-in-law: Donovan Schmoll and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Harlan Rust, parents: Howard and Vera Cuffel; siblings: Howard (Phyllis) Cuffel, Lorraine (Hank) Nederhoff, Marjorie Schmoll, infant brother Harold and Sharon (Laurence) Graves.