Mary K. Bonlender, 68, Buffalo formerly of Waite Park

January 14, 1950 - April 23, 2018

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 27, 2018 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Waite Park for Mary K. Bonlender, age 68 of Buffalo formerly of Waite Park who passed on Monday, April 23, 2018 at Lakeside Care center in Dassel. Reverend Timothy Gapinski will officiate. Interment will be private at the St. Joseph Parish Cemetery, Waite Park.

Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday and after 9:00 a.m. on Friday at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud. Parish prayers will be at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.

Mary was born on January 14, 1950 in St. Cloud, Minnesota to Elmer and Alvira (Young) Leyendecker. She graduated from St. Cloud Technical High School in 1968. Mary lived in Sauk Rapids, she later moved to Minneapolis where she became a Licensed Practical Nurse. Mary returned to St. Cloud and was employed in the mental health services for seven years. She received a Masters Degree in Social Work and Psychology from St. Cloud State University. Mary was employed as a Social Worker by Sherburne County, Isanti County and later Wright County retiring as Administrative Supervisor of Social Services after 33 years of public service. She founded the Crisis Nursery of Wright County Human Services. Mary lived in Dayton from 1977 until 2004 when she moved to Buffalo.

Mary enjoyed the outdoors, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, gardening, crafting, knitting, quilting, playing guitar; she loved her dogs.

Mary is survived by her children, Melinda (Jeff) Woods of Burnsville and Dominic (fiancée Christina Stockinger) of Monticello; grandchildren, Owen and Zachary Woods, Ian Bonlender and Matthew Stockinger; brothers and sisters, Gary of Sauk Rapids, Joan (Mick) Reber of Sauk Rapids, Mike (Darlene) of St. Cloud, Julie (Arnie) Johnson of St. Joseph, Jeff (Charlene) of St. Cloud, Tom of Waite Park, and Amy Tobin of St. Cloud; and many special friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; infant sisters, Carol and Judith; and brother, Jim.

Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers.