Bonnie Pahl

Ava, MO

Bonnie Bette Pahl, 90 of Ava, MO passed away on January 14, 2011 at the Heart of the Ozarks Healthcare in Ava.
Bonnie Pahl 1920-2011

Bonnie Bettie Lawrence Pahl was born March 4, 1920 in Olathe, Kansas, to Nellie Bly and Albert Eli Lawrence. Her father was a railroad construction steam engineer.

Bonnie had brothers Albert "Bert" and Jack, and sisters Nellie Bly (Cobb) and Marirose (Gensler).

Bonnie's early schooling began in Olathe, KS. After losing her mother when she was eight or nine years of age, Bonnie lived in other homes until arriving at the Interdenominational Home for Girls in south Kansas City. She attended Paseo High School in Kansas City, Missouri, but graduated in the first graduating class, 1939, at the new South East High School in that city.

After graduation, she worked various jobs as a nanny in a private home, as an assistant for an eye doctor, and later for Aircraft Parts, Inc. in Kansas City, Kansas. During this time, she made her home with Louis and Jessy Maude Agees in Kansas City, MO.

She met Herschel Pahl, a Navy flying student assigned to the Fairfax Naval Reserve Training Base in early 1942, and they became acquainted before he departed for advanced training in Jacksonville, Florida. After he completed his training and received his commission as a Naval Officer, they became better acquainted and were later married in May 1943. While Herschel was deployed in the Pacific with his squadron, Bonnie worked for the Navy as an office clerk at Aircraft O&R, North Island Naval Air Station, San Diego, California.
Their first son, Terrance Randal Pahl, was born May 4, 1945 in San Diego.

After the war ended, they built their first home in Oxnard, California, where they lived until 1949. Their second son, Neel Tilden Pahl was born there on January 30, 1948.
They moved to Sunnyvale, California, where their third son, Dale Edward Pahl was born December 18, 1950.


From 1951 until the conclusion of Herschel's naval service, Bonnie kept the home and raised their sons in locations ranging from Norfolk, Virginia, San Diego, California, Sanford, Florida, Alexandria, Virginia, Fuchu, Japan, Yokosuka, Japan, Omaha, Nebraska, and Lincoln, Nebraska.

Upon retirement in 1973, Bonnie and Herschel moved to Douglas County, Missouri to raise trees, cattle, hay, and to enjoy their grandchildren. They also traveled, produced furniture-grade lumber, and made furniture.

Bonnie suffered a stroke in 1984. After selling the farm, they moved to their new home in the city of Ava in 1998. Bonnie had resided at the Heart of the Ozarks Health Care Center since late in 2008.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Herschel in 2010, a son, Terrence "Randy" Pahl, two brothers,Albert Bert & Jack Lawrence and two sisters, Nellie Bly (LawrenceJ) Cobb and Marirose (Lawrence)Gensler.

Her survivors include two sons, Neel Pahl, Aurora, CO and Dale Pahl, Highlands Ranch, CO, eight grandchildren, Julie Cogdill, Paige Pahl, Maclaine Pahl, Stephanie Pahl, Neel Williams Pahl, Dale "Ted" Pahl Jr., Erin Pahl and Lesley Pahl, and five great-grandchildren: Josh, Devin, Ethan and Noah Cogdill and Heidi Pahl.

Services for Bonnie will be Monday, January 17, 2011, 10:00 a.m. at the Ava United Methodist Church, Ava, MO with burial following in the Ava Cemetery.
Visitation will be Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, MO. Officiating will be Rev. Marty Blakey. Memorials may be made to Ava United Methodist Church.