Bonnie Margaret Dinneen Hedrick

Bonnie Margaret Dinneen Hedrick passed at her home on October 26th, surrounded by her family (including the four-legged members).

Bonnie was born at the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland CA on Sept. 7, 1968 to Daniel and Jennie Clark Dinneen. Her father’s military service required relocating ten times in four years, planting the seed for Bonnie’s wanderlust. Along the way her brother ‘Feef’ (Patrick Scott) joined her.  After her father completed his service, the young family returned to Rochester, Minnesota.

Bonnie attended Rochester Public Schools, graduating from John Marshall in 1987. Growing up, Bonnie was an avid downhill skier, was active in Band, and enjoyed an eclectic variety of musical interests. She was a hard worker and always maintained a job or two. After graduating high school and attending college, Bonnie headed West for the Mountains. Skiing gave way to snowboarding.  She eventually made her way to Big Cottonwood Canyon (in northern Utah), and it was there that she found her husband, Nathan Bradley Hedrick.

Bonnie and Nate created a family of their own: Connor Riley Dinneen Hedrick and Eleanor Jane Dinneen Hedrick. After initially making their home in Cedar City, Utah, the family relocated to Chatfield, Minnesota.  Being her first born, and having a several year advantage over his sister, Connor formed a special bond with Bonnie like no one else.  Eleanor, on the other hand, was born with a BIG personality.  Her mother would often say that there are no strangers in Eleanor’s world, only friends that she has not yet met.  According to her kids “Bonnie was a strong, kindhearted, brave, bright soul and a very loving person.”  Neither could ever leave home without hearing “I love you, make good choices.”

Bonnie was a skilled artist.  She created many practical items, with a special interest in knitting, felting, other textile art, and jewelry. She favored creating wearable and useable art.  Bonnie and Nate shared an interest in homesteading (self-sufficiency) skills, as is reflected throughout their home, yard, and lifestyle.

In early August 2015 Bonnie was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma and was told she had “two to four months”. She adopted a new motto “Everything will be okay”. She showed her oncologist a picture of her family and said “I need you to help me stay in this picture”. She maintained an eternally positive outlook throughout the three-plus years of battling her illness. Bonnie’s warrior attitude proved the experts at the Mayo Clinic to be wrong - she outlived their longevity prognosis many times over. Bonnie utilized her time to make sure she will always be present in the lives of her children. Subsequent to her diagnosis she did extensive legacy work: many long-distance family road trips to create new memories that will last a lifetime, journaling, scrapbooking, creating more artwork and heirlooms, lots of quality time with family, anything and everything that she could do to ensure that “everything will be okay” for Connor and Eleanor.

Bonnie maintained lifelong connections with many of the friends that came into her life.  Her personal code, ‘always be kind’, made meaningful friendships easy.  Her diagnosis brought new friends in the form of her global cholangio support group, and a redefined friendship with her high school friend, Joe Brom, her “cancer tour guide”, whose journey was completed before her own was.  Longtime friends stepped up during her illness and supported the family in virtually every way imaginable. Cancer itself is no blessing. The love, and the reprioritizing of what is important, and what is not, that come in its wake can be.

Bonnie’s family extends gratitude to each and every member of the Mayo Clinic staff that joined in her journey (you know who you are) and a special thanks to her Hospice team, who assisted Nate in achieving her goal to remain at home with her family.

Visitation for family and friends will be held at Riley Funeral Home in Chatfield on Friday, November 2nd from 5-7 p.m. Memorial service at St Pius X Catholic Church in Rochester on Saturday, November 3rd at 11 a.m., followed by a luncheon.

In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to Bonnie’s family (Nate, Connor and Eleanor).