Lavonne Salinas

Lavonne V. "Bonnie" Salinas, age 48 of Jesup, Iowa, formerly of Sauk Centre, left our world Friday, November 29, 2013 at Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo, Iowa after a courageous three year battle with cancer.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, December 6 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Greg Paffel officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery. Military honors provided by Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 8 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Lavonne Valeria Wessel was born July 27, 1965 in Sauk Centre, Minnesota to Delbert and Eleanor (Robideaux) Wessel. She attended Holy Family School and graduated from Sauk Centre High School in 1983. Bonnie served in the United States Air Force from 1984 until 1989. She was stationed in Michigan, Florida, and Turkey. On May 1, 2002 she married Chris Salinas in Waterloo, Iowa. Bonnie was employed by the United States Postal Service. She enjoyed traveling, supporting her union, veterans and animal shelters. Her greatest love, next to her husband, was the Minnesota Vikings.

Bonnie was a member of APWU Local 451 in Waterloo, Iowa and was a great supporter of Paralyzed Veterans of America and Buchanan County Animal Shelter.

Survivors include her husband, Chris Salinas of Jesup, Iowa; children, Cathline Helstrom of Baxter, Mark Salinas of Bemidji, and Amanda Jensen of Brainerd; three grandchildren; parents, Delbert Wessel of Sauk Centre and Eleanor Limbert of Brooklyn Park; brothers and sisters, Joe (LaDonna) Wessel of Sauk Centre, Eileen "Weezie" Wessel of Sauk Rapids, Darlene (Scott) Jahnig of Breckenridge, Joann (Rocky) Benoit of Sauk Rapids, Walter Wessel of Sauk Centre, and Mary (Steve Barten) Wessel of Carlos; many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews; and her special four legged kids, George, Snickers, and Brandi.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her grandparents, August and Mary Wessel and Leon and Marie Robideaux; two infant sisters; and sister-in-law, Alauna Camus.

Serving as casket bearers will be Joe Wessel, Walter Wessel, Scott Jahnig, Rocky Benoit, Steve Barten, and Dale Struffert. Cross bearer will be Kathy Struffert and scripture bearer will be Weezie Wessel. Gift bearers will be Katie Jahnig, Lindsey Benoit, and Kiya Reiter. Reader will be Ian Jahnig. Petitions will be read by Bailey Benoit and the eulogy will be given by Darlene Jahnig.