He attended Manning schools for eleven years. He then served in the U.S. Navy and the Reserves from 1947 to 1977, retiring as a Master Chief Electronics Technician.

Mr. Bonneson moved to Napa in 1967 and went to work for NAVELEX at Mare Island, retiring in August 1985. He had worked at Engineering Research Inc. in Benicia since January.

He was a past member of the Napa Elks Lodge and a member of Grand Masonic Lodge of Springhill, Kansas. Mr. Bonneson was an avid fisher, boater, and hunter.

He is survived by his wife, Betty "Jean" of Napa; two daughters, Joanne Knight, and Jeanne Giovannoni, both of Napa; a son, James, of Tekamah, Nebraska; a step-son, Michael Anderson, of Vallejo; a step-daughter, Sherie Franklin, of Settle, Washington; a sister, Janet McGrath, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; four grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Peter's Chapel, Mare Island Naval Station.

Gerald's headstone is located at the Highland Cemetery, Bayard, Iowa.

Mr. Bonneson's ashes will be scattered at sea by the Navy.

Napa Valley Memorial Gardens Mortuary is directing arrangements. Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Navy Relief Society, Mare Island, CA 94592 or a charity of the donor's choice.
Napa Valley Register, Napa, California, June 18, 1987