Claretta Bridgeman loved to laugh with family and friends and when she did her eyes shone bright and a smile stretched broadly across her face. Today, she is laughing with family and friends she has dearly missed.

Claretta Bernadine Gunderson was born January 4, 1932, to Ella (Hansen) Gunderson and the late Clarence Gunderson. Claretta, along with her older sister, Marilynn (Gunderson) Johnson, grew up in Vermillion, SD, where she attended elementary and junior high school. Later, the family moved to the Beresford, SD, area where she graduated from Beresford High School.

Claretta married Darrell "Dal" J. Boden in October of 1950. She and Dal had five children: Larry, Ellen, Ray, Bill and John Boden.

Claretta moved to Ute, Iowa, in 1966 and made her home there until 2004.

In August of 1967, Claretta married the love of her life, Bernard "Whitey" Bridgeman. Claretta and Whitey had one son, Jeffery Bridgeman.

Claretta was a natural caretaker. She cared for her family and ran her household. She also was a friend to many in the small town of Ute and was always willing to help her family and friends whether they needed a cup of coffee or a ride to an out-of-town doctor's appointment. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Ute where she was past president of the Ladies Aid for many years.

Claretta lived in Tyndall, SD, from 2004 to 2016. For the past five months, she lived at

Centerville Care & Rehab in Centerville, SD. She is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Yankton, SD.

In her younger years, Claretta loved to dance. She savored a good practical joke, a good cup of coffee, a night of bowling, playing cards or just laughing and chatting with family. She was a great cook and loved to have her family together for holidays. She was "Grandma" to eight grandchildren and "Granny" to 17 great-grandchildren. She spent many an hour sitting on bleachers, benches and in darkened auditoriums watching her kids, grandkids and greatgrandkids at their various activities. !

Claretta is survived by her sister, Marilyn Johnson of Centerville, SD who was one of the first to greet her into this world and who held her hand as she left. She was loved by her children: Ellen Boden of Beresford, SD, Ray and Karen Boden of Beresford, SD, Bill and Susie Boden of Sturgis, SD and John and Mary Boden of Tabor, SD; her grandchildren and their families: Christina and Randy Quartier of Beresford, along with Grace, Macy and Alex; Kim Boden and Jamey Hult of Centerville, along with Amber, Taylor and Izabella; Tera and Ben Schmidt of Yankton, SD, along with Kyle, Mary, Ella and John; Larry and Jill Boden of Beresford, along with Aubrey, Cali, Zach and Cole; Amanda Boden and Jim Humpal of Tyndall, SD; Andrew and Ann Boden of Beresford, along with Isaac, Lillie and Lane; Matthew and Emily Boden of Granger, Ind.; and Jesse Boden of Rapid City, SD; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

Claretta was greeted in heaven by her parents, Ella and Clarence Gunderson; her husband, Whitey Bridgeman; her sons, Larry Boden and Jeff Bridgeman; her brother-in-law, John W. Johnson and a host of other familiar faces.

Funeral services will be held 10:00 AM, Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Beresford with burial to follow at St. Clair Cemetery, Ute, IA. Visitation will be Monday from 6PM to 8PM with a prayer service at 7PM at Wass Funeral Home in Beresford.