Mardell Bonderson

Mardell (Relitz) Bonderson, 86, of Sioux City, IA died on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at Unity Point St. Luke's Hospital in Sioux City, IA. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mark Lutheran Church (5200 Glenn Ave.) in Sioux City, IA; Pastor David Halaas will be officiating.  The visitation will be held on Friday, November 1, 2019 from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at St. Mark Lutheran Church, with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m.  Burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. at Rose Hill Cemetery in Emerson, NE on Saturday, November 2, 2019. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home of Emerson, NE. Born February 23, 1933, in Emerson, Nebraska, she was the daughter of Ferdinand and Alvena (Stolze) Relitz. She was baptized on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1933, and confirmed in the Christian Faith on Sunday, April 14, 1946, at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Emerson, Nebraska. On Sunday, June 3, 1951, Mardell wed Richard A. Bonderson. This ceremony also took place at the St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Emerson, Nebraska.  To this union two daughters were born. She was a wife, mother, grandmother, church and business leader in the community. For twenty-five years, she owned and operated Mardell’s. Persons from the tri-state area and beyond sought decorating treasures and gifts from her store. She was an active member of the Sioux City Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association Mardell is survived by her two daughters, Deborah Wragge and Kim Kortje and Kim’s husband, Gary; sister, Wanda Jensen; brother, Robert (Carol) Relitz; sister-in-law, Irma Relitz. She thoroughly enjoyed her four grandchildren and their spouses: Keli Wragge and Scott Bierman; Tony Wragge and his wife, Nicole; Jana Kortje and her husband, Shervin Razavian; and Jared Kortje and his wife, Tracy. She enjoyed five great-grandchildren:  Drew (Keli’s son), Addison and Avery  (Tony’s daughters), Elika (Jana’s daughter), and Noah (Jared’s son). Family was very important to Mardell. She is preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Richard Bonderson; her parents, Ferdinand and Alvena Relitz; brothers, Harvey and Wesley Relitz; brother-in-law, Larry Jensen; son-in-law, Wayne Wragge and a host of other family and friends through the ages.