Bonnie Lou Witzleben

Bonnie Lou Witzleben, age 69, of Sacramento, California, peacefully passed away on November 12, 2019 due to complications from Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease and Leukemia.

Services will be 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, November 23, 2019 in Roundup at Emmanuel Baptist Church on.

Bonnie was born September 30, 1950 in Billings, Montana to John and Betty (Moss) Barlean. She was the first of six children. As the first born, Bonnie cared for and tended to her siblings. She went on to have four children: Mike, Mark, Debbie and Dani.

For most of her life, Bonnie worked as a waitress. In the mid-1970’s, she settled in Roundup, MT to be close to her family members. In the early 80’s, Bonnie and her children moved to Colstrip, MT, again, to be near her siblings. While there, Bonnie drove a school bus and, for a time, worked as an iron worker for Bechtel Co.

After three years in Colstrip, Bonnie and her children returned to Roundup where she worked as a waitress, cleaned homes, and later drove a school bus. Bonnie was an extremely hard worker and anyone that had the privilege to know Bonnie was a better person from having her in their life.

In 2009, Bonnie moved to Sacramento, California to live with her son, Mark, and was, again, near most of her siblings. It was while she lived in Sacramento that she found her most fulfilling job. Bonnie worked the front desk at Kiwanis Family Home where people stayed while family members were being treated at UCDavis and Shriner’s.

Bonnie developed meaningful relationships with many of the family members that spent time at Kiwanis, receiving cards and letters long after people’s stay. The director of Kiwanis said that for many years, Bonnie was the face of Kiwanis Family Home. Bonnie is survived by three children: Mike Witzleben, Roundup, MT, Mark Witzleben, Scramento, CA, and Debbie (Rick) Marquard, Laurel, MT. She is survived by her brothers: John Barlean, Chandler, AZ, Roy Barlean, Beaverton, OR, and sister, Shelly Stoddard, Elkton, NV. Bonnie was also survived by three grandchildren: Cameron Marler, Billings, MT, Paxton Marler, Denver, CO, and Reid Witzleben, Roundup, MT, as well as several nieces and nephews. Bonnie is preceded in death by her daughter, Danielle, her father, John, her brother, Robert, her mother, Betty Lou, her nephew, David Meadows, and her sister, Judy Meadows. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Kiwanis Family House, 2875 50th Street, Sacramento, California, 95817.