Bonnie Lou Nagorny (nee Sternberg), 71, passed away peacefully with loved ones by her side on April 10, 2026, at her home in Friendship, after a brief battle with cancer.
Bonnie was born on July 13, 1954, in Beaver Dam, to Frieda Dorothy Sternberg (nee Raabe) and Norman William Sternberg. She attended Zum Kripplein Christi Lutheran School in Iron Ridge and then Hartford Union High School in Hartford.
She was married to Alfred Ernst Nagorny on October 26, 1974, in Iron Ridge. They lived together in Mount Prospect, IL, until 1988 when they moved to Rubicon.
In 1999, she moved up to Friendship, to run her beloved bar, Boomer’s Pub.
Bonnie lived a very full life and was constantly on the move. Whether it was being at her bar serving her many customers, many of whom became close friends and a second family to her, or going on trips to Ho Chunk with the girls for a day out, she didn’t like being idle. Everyone who knew her knew how much she loved animals and wolves especially. She enjoyed spending time with her family, bowling, playing darts, and watching old westerns. When her sons were little, she coached their school teams for both softball and soccer. Raised in the Lutheran faith, God was an important part of her life. Some of her favorite memories were spending summers with her oldest granddaughter, Leah, Up North and her trip out to South Dakota with her life partner Harry Ours.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one son, Timothy; one sister, Ruth Ann; and one grandson, Alexander.
She is survived by one brother, Dewey (Jacky) of Oakfield,; three sons, Tom (Alicia) of Iron Ridge, Alan (Katie) of West Bend, and Jeremy (Sarah) of Oconomowoc; seven grandchildren, Leah, Ryan, Ellizabeth, Carly, Alison, Dominic, and Violet; and three great-grandchildren.
Bonnie will always be remembered for her quick wit, the way she made people around her feel like they were family, and her willingness to give you the shirt off her back if you needed it. She will be greatly missed and forever remembered by her family and many friends.
Per Bonnie’s wishes, a private family inurnment will take place at Hochheim Cemetery in the Town of Herman on Friday, April 17. A luncheon for family and friends will be held at Atwell’s Pub in Mayville on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 12 p.m. (noon). There will be a celebration of life for all family and friends at Boomer’s Pub in Friendship, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 19. Food, drinks, and good memories will be shared there.
In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to the Adam’s County Humane Society in Friendship in Bonnie’s memory.
Koepsell Funeral Home in Mayville is caring for the family. www.Koepsellfh.com.
