Having graced this earth for 69 years, Bonnie Gail (Fecho) Livedalen graduated with honors from this life on Monday, July 10, 2017, accepting her wings and halo, an offer she couldn’t refuse.  This new assignment guarantees laughter and love in a wonderful place and reunions with her parents, friends, and family that she hasn’t seen in a long time.  She will be enjoying quilting, golfing, and reading to her heart’s content and, most importantly, she gains the ‘best seat in the house’ at her grandchildren’s events, one of her favorite places to be. 

Born on June 24, 1948 at St Andrew’s Hospital in Bottineau, ND to Edwin and Mary Ann (Smith) Fecho, Bonnie was the 4^th of 7 siblings raised on their rural Willow City Farm.  She began her education at the rural Willow Creek District #6, School #3 near their family farm and graduated from Upham High School in 1966.  She went on to follow in her mother’s footsteps as a teacher, graduating from Minot State College in 1970.  While he was home on leave from the army, Bonnie married her fiancée, Kenneth Livedalen, on December 28, 1970, at Willow Creek Lutheran Church near Willow City. 

As Bonnie began her teaching career with a year each in Rolette and Upham, the couple resided with her parents, but soon found a home in Towner where Bonnie settled in as a business and home economics teacher and a librarian at Towner High School.  Shortly after the birth of their first child, the family moved to the Livedalen Ranch in the sandhills north of Towner, where she and Ken raised their three children.  During her 30+ years at THS, “Mrs. Livedalen” advised the Student Council and National Honor Society groups and left quite an impression on many students as a firm and caring educator.  In 2004, she retired from teaching and took on a new role in the McHenry County Recorder’s office, eventually taking over as the elected County Recorder in 2014 until her retirement in March of 2017.

A dedicated wife and an extraordinary mother, Bonnie also found time to be a faithful friend and a devoted grandmother.  She took great pride in her work and her grandchildren and was our go-to expert on doing the ‘right thing’.

Her memberships included the North Dakota County Recorders Association, Delta Kappa Gamma, Beta Theta sorority, the Towner Golf Club, and Zion Lutheran Church where she served as Treasurer for 16 years.

Bonnie was predeceased by her parents.  She will be forever missed by her husband of 46 years, Kenneth; daughters Brenda (Kevin) Heilman of Rugby and Kelly Livedalen of Towner; son Shane (Rhonda) Livedalen of Rugby; brothers Loren (Jacqueline) Fecho, William (Sherry) Fecho, Kevin Fecho, and Brad (Gloria) Fecho all of Willow City; sisters Diane Block of Willow City and Margaret (Jerry) Brandt of Iron, MN; her pride and joy grandchildren:  Kaycee, Allison, Peyton, Cade, Nathan, Kyra, Mikaylee, Maci, Royanne, Clare, and Kreagan; numerous nieces and nephews; other relatives; and many, many caring friends and family.

We would like to offer a huge and heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the caregivers at Heart of America Medical Center for their hours of personal and professional care of mom (and us) during her stay—you are skilled and deeply caring professionals.  Bonnie bragged about you a lot and was genuinely appreciative to have your amazing level of care so close to home.

Memorials are preferred to the HAMC Cancer Center by contacting the Good Samaritan Health Services (GSHS) Foundation at hamc.com/foundation or 701-776-5455 Ext. 2149.  Please specify that your donation is for the HAMC Cancer Center.

Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 15^th at Zion Lutheran Church in Towner with burial in the Union Cemetery, Towner.  Pastor Linda Wimmer and Mr. Wally Fretland, presiders.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday with a prayer service and sharing of memories starting at 7 p.m. all at Zion Lutheran Church.  Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the time of services at the church on Saturday.