Bonnie Gearig Hiebert

Bonnie Joy Gearig Hiebert was born May 7, 1939, the third child of the late Lloyd C. Gearig and the late Bertha “Dottie” Gearig near Pettisville, Ohio. On Sunday, October 18, 2026, she passed away at the St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia, Georgia, after a brief illness, at the age of eighty- seven years old.

In her early years, Bonnie remembered her dear daddy calling her ‘his little black-eyed Susan’. Her childhood with her eight siblings was full of happy times and hard work on their Ohio farm, except for one very traumatic event when she was twelve years old. Her beloved little 3-year-old brother, affectionately known as Waynie, was hit by a car and instantly killed. Being his special big sister caregiver, this tragedy was perhaps the cause of much mental distress all her life. Bonnie enjoyed her nine years of schooling at the Pettisville Grade School. In 1951, she was baptized by Minister Reno Hibner into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. In 1954, when she was fifteen years old, her family moved to the newly started congregation near Louisville, Georgia. She had many fond memories of the youth singing together and close fellowship of their growing congregation. All her life she loved to care for sick or injured animals. This turned her mind to becoming a nurse. In 1959, she became a Licensed Practical Nurse and it was her pride and joy to realize her dream of caring for sick people had come true. She often spoke of the interesting time she had while volunteering as a nurse at Camp 45 in Mexico for a few months.

Bonnie married Van Hiebert in August of 1961 and made the move to Hillsboro, KS. Three children were born to bless their home with smiles and laughter. In 1969, they moved to Clarksdale, Mississippi, where they made precious lifelong memories with the small new Clarksdale congregation. In 1973, Mom was so excited to move closer to her parents near Louisville. She lived there until 2024 when she went to live with her daughter and family in Bowersville for the final chapter of her life. She spent many quiet hours reading her mother’s Bible and her Sunday school book. Bonnie loved to sing and she will be remembered for her lovely alto voice chiming in whenever dad and her children were singing. She loved flowers and would often pick bouquets in her garden for the table. It was her delight to take them to friends and neighbors around her. Her quips and quick rebuttals to her family’s teasing brought lots of laughter to their lives. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were the love of her life! Her sudden passing due to infection and congestive heart failure was unexpected, but her family is so very thankful she is not suffering anymore.

Bonnie will be deeply missed by her family: Van Hiebert, Cumberland, WI; Andy and Amy Hiebert, Stapleton, GA; Galen and Judy Unruh, Bowersville, GA; Tim Hiebert, Grovetown, GA; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Sylvia and Kyle Terry, Canyon, Knox and Cayson, Cumberland, WI; Violet and Tristan Mininger, Lars and Wells, Murray, KY; Vaughn Unruh, Louisville, GA; Vance and Mashawna Unruh, Bowersville, GA; Katreva and Logan Deming, Wanham, AB; Grand-kitty Ocoee, Grovetown, GA; Her sisters: Ellyn Peters, Ithaca, MI; Jim and Sandra Smith, Butte City, CA; Ken and Faith Diller, Gallion, AL; her brothers: Crist and Joyce Gearig, Brooksville, MS; Junior and Kathleen Gearig, Louisville, GA; sister-in- laws: Don and Thelma Gearig Bates, Barron, WI; Rose Hiebert and Lorene Hiebert, Osceola, SD; and many nieces and nephews. Her parents, her brothers: Wayne Gearig, Harlan Gearig and Johnny Gearig, 7 brothers-in-law and 4 sisters-in-law proceeded her in death.

The family will receive friends from 6:30 – 8:30 PM Sunday evening, October 25, 2026, at Pinecrest Mennonite Church. Funeral services officiated by Minister Kenneth Diller and Minister Randal Goossen will be at Pinecrest at 10:30 AM Monday morning, October 26, 2026. Interment officiated by Minster Verle Giesbrecht will follow in the church cemetery. Honored to serve as pallbearers include Tristan Mininger, Kyle Terry Jason Unrh, Vaugn Unruh, Vance Unruh and Mel Solis.