William P. Bonine was born June 4, 1919 near Beresford, SD to parents Theodore and Alice (Glidden) Bonine. He died September 22, 2008 at the Bethesda Nursing Home in Beresford, SD at the age of 89 years, 3 months and 18 days.
William attended Pioneer rural school and then began working on the family farm. He moved to California in 1936 and was employed as a cabinet maker. He entered the United States Army in 1941 and was stationed in the Pacific during World War II where he was awarded the Bronze Star. Upon his discharge in 1945, he returned to the Beresford area and resumed farming. William married Robbie Smith on November 1, 1947. The couple resided in rural Beresford. Robbie died in 1997 and William continued to live on the farm and work until poor health finally forced him to fully retire and move to the Bethesda Nursing Home on August 22, 2008.
William was a member of Beresford Zion United Methodist Church. He was a past chairman of the Lincoln County March of Dimes, a longtime 4-H Leader, was a charter member of the South East South Dakota Experiment Farm and was a former member of the Beresford VFW.
Preceding him in death were his wife Robbie, parents, and nine brothers and sisters.
Survivors include his son Morris (Sarah) Bonine, Beresford; five daughters: Patricia Jacobsen, Coatepec, Mexico, Marshall Ann Charles, Garland, TX, Linda Sue (Joe) Offutt, Garland, TX, Beverly (Rod) Gutzler, Sioux Falls, SD and Renee (Bill) Schultz, Gillette, WY; 10 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, 2 great, great grandchildren; and a sister Emma (Tom) Murray, Sioux Falls, SD.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00PM, Saturday, September 27 at Beresford Zion United Methodist Church with burial at the Bonine Cemetery, rural Beresford. Visitation will be Friday from 2PM to 8PM with family present from 6PM to 8PM with a prayer service at 6:30PM at Wass Funeral Home in Beresford.
Memories of Our Dad
Dad touched peoples lives in many ways. These are just a few of our favorite memories:
In the late 1950s, Dad was the Chairman of the Lincoln County March of Dimes. It was his desire that every child in the county receive the polio inoculation for free. He secured the polio serum and contacted Dr. Fay Nutter to determine the cost of documenting the process and inoculating every child. Dad was determined that no family would experience the devastation that polio caused, and it became his mission to obtain this goal. It was his integrity and character that influenced Dr. Nutter and the other medical personnel to come on board.

A major part of Dads zest for life was his desire to make every child feel special. In any social gathering, he spoke to each child and listened to what they had to say. Who doesnt remember Grandpa/Uncle Willies gentle teasing' The only reward he wanted was to see your smile and hear your giggle.

The fun-meter had a way of going up when Dad was part of the group. He loved pushing the envelope just for the entertainment value for himself and everyone around him. Whether it was sneaking Mother onto the Army base after hours or talking his way out of a speeding ticket, life was never boring!

Life with our dad was always interesting, often fun, and certainly an education in personal values. He treated everyone fairly and was well known for dealing with people honestly. At the same time, he had an uncanny knack for separating the wheat from the chaff.

While many of the war-time stories Dad chose to share with us were entertaining, they ultimately revealed his patriotism, love of country, and his willingness to serve. He gave us the treasured gift of himself and we will carry him in our hearts forever