Bonita J. Harper

Bonita (Reed) Harper passed away on May 30, 2024, at The Kensington in Hastings, NE. Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 2, 2024, from 4:00-6:00 PM with family present at Apfel Funeral Home in Hastings. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday, June 3, 2024, at Grace United Methodist Church in Hastings, NE with Pastor Ben Hanne officiating. Burial will follow at Parkview Cemetery in Hastings.

Memorials are suggested to The Kengsington-Hastings, Grace United Methodist Church, or Sloan Kettering Cancer Research. Online condolences can be sent to www.apfelfuneralhome.com.

 Bonita Shay Reed Harper was born on March 12, 1932, to Joe and Bernice (Heber) Shay in Denman, NE. She received her education at Kenesaw Public School in Kenesaw, NE. On May 30, 1953, she married Gale Reed at the First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, NE. Two sons were born to this union, Rick Reed and Randy Reed. After Gale’s death, she married Melvin Harper in November of 2003.

For many years she was a checker at Jack and Jill Grocery Stores. She was later employed by Dutton-Lainson’s. Bonita was a member of Grace Methodist Church in Hastings and the Red Hatters Group. She was also an avid Nebraska football fan.

Deceased relatives include her first husband, Gale Reed, her sons Rick Reed, and Randy Reed, her second husband Melvin Harper, sister Phyllis Witt, brother Melvin Shay, sister Betty Ground, stepsister Betty Ann Snyder, stepbrother Bob Alderson, nieces Sandy LaBrie and  Tammy Shay, nephews Gary and Rodney Bergsten

Survivors include her granddaughters Mandi Reed and Kala Reed, great-granddaughter Dacia Reed, half-sister Linda Thompson, half-brother Joe (Gale) Shay, stepson Randy (Merna) Harper, stepdaughter Marcia (Tom) Valentine, stepson Dan Harper, step-grandson Eric Valentine, sister-in-law LeNora Shay, nieces Sherry (Mike) Witt Deterding, Deb Hill, Jolene (Chuck) Koos, Shelley (John) Partridge, nephews Jim Witt, Bill (Dottie) Ground, Dan (Vicki) Ground, many great-nieces and great-nephews, step great-nieces and great-nephews.