Bonnie Rae Kidd Richins

On Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, Bonnie Rae Kidd Richins completed her earthly journey and was reunited with her beloved husband, Edgar Gayle Richins. She slipped away quietly after a routine angiogram, leaving behind the cares of this world and moving on to the joys of the next.

She was born June 15, 1932, in Acequia, Idaho, to Carson Gilbert Kidd and Nellie Louisa Florence Kidd. The family moved to Declo two years later. Her childhood was spent on the family farm hauling hay, weeding the crops, herding the milk cows and several sheep, working in the garden, and harvesting and canning the produce. In the 8th grade, she contracted a nearly fatal case of diphtheria which took several months of recovery.

Bonnie and Gayle’s love story began her junior year in high school when he took her home from a dance. When he returned from an LDS mission, they began dating and were married Aug. 1, 1950, in the Logan Utah LDS Temple. Their first home was in Declo, where Gayle worked as a meat cutter for Gillette’s Market. In 1953, Gayle began working on the Vance Walker farm in the Pella area. A few years later, they were able to buy part of this farm. To help provide for their growing family, Bonnie began seasonal work at Ore-Ida, working her way up to timekeeper, shipping clerk, and finally, administrative assistant, retiring March 31, 1992, after 30 years.

She and Gayle experienced the usual challenges of raising and providing for their family, but worked through them together only growing stronger in their love and devotion to one another. They relished becoming grandparents and all that stage of life brings. They enjoyed road trips together and with their girls and took several trips with their siblings. The annual family reunion, Christmas dinner and an Easter get-together were highlights for them each year.

Serving as a volunteer at Cassia Regional Medical Center the last few years helped fill her hours with purpose and brought new friends into her life. As of April 2015, she had given 4889 hours of service.

Bonnie was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served faithfully in many different callings. She and Gayle spent several years as service missionaries for the LDS Church at the nearby bean storage facility. After Gayle passed away, she served in the Boise Idaho Temple. When the Twin Falls Idaho Temple was completed in 2008, she was called to serve there as a secretary in the recorder’s office. She dearly loved serving there, but was released just recently at her request.

Surviving her are five daughters and their husbands, Denise and George Darrington, Elaine and Bruce Mitchell, Carleen and Gerry Miller, Lisa and Forrest Allen, and Janette and Steven Emberling. Her posterity also includes 23 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter. Three sisters, Rema Combs, Joan Hawker and Gwen Searle, and her only brother, Jay Kidd, also survive her.

Preceding her in death were her husband; her parents; sisters, Lydia Woodbury, Anna Kidd, Ruth Matthews, June McLean, Nila Schrenk and Merla (Fries) Stone; and one great-granddaughter, Dylan Jade Randall.

Bonnie’s one priority was serving her family and she will be deeply missed by each of them and by her many friends.

The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at the Pella LDS Church, 160 W. 400 S., of Burley, with Bishop Trent Robinson officiating. Burial will be in the Declo Cemetery.

Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from noon until 12:45 p.m. Friday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to Cassia Regional Medical Center, the LDS Missionary or Humanitarian Funds, or your favorite charity.