Winona Lavonne (Logsdon) Penfield, 78, of Bowman, ND died on Friday, March 21, 2014 at the Southwest Healthcare facilities in Bowman, ND. Funeral services for Winona will be held at the Bowman Assembly of God on Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at 11:00 am, followed by a lunch fellowship at the church. Burial services will be in Lemmon, SD, at 2:30 pm, followed by a fellowship at the Prairie Hills Church of God.   Visitation for Winona will begin on Monday, March 24, from 11:00-7:00 at Kresbach and Kulseth Funeral Home Chapel in Bowman, ND.

Winona Lavonne was born April 12, 1935 to Rev. Glyndon and Nannie Belle Logsdon in Hamilton, Ohio. She was the second of six children, and the only girl, born to a couple committed to pastoral ministry. She lived in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Missouri; and several communities in the Dakotas including Mobridge, Lemmon, Minot, Sioux Falls, and Rapid City. Her brothers remember her as the best sister in the world - loyal, protective, sweet, generous. She even went as far as to fix them up with her girlfriends.

Winona completed her nursing degree at Trinity Nursing College in St. Louis, MO, in 1956. She then interned at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, IL, before joining her parents in Lemmon, SD where she became the head nurse at the local hospital.

It was in Lemmon that Winona met the love of her life, Robert Earl Penfield. They married on March 8, 1958 at the Lemmon Church of God, with her father officiating the ceremony.   In late August, 1958, Bob and Winona purchased Home Base Auction Market in Bowman, ND and moved there to begin their life as partners in the auction business as well as start their family. Bob and Winona were married 56 years and provide a heritage of commitment and faithfulness to their children and grandchildren.

Winona was active in the auction industry, serving for years on the Auxiliary Board of both the National Auctioneers Association (NAA) and the North Dakota Auctioneers Association. She was the first NDAA Auxiliary President in 1961, and was inducted into the NAA Auxiliary Hall of Fame.   She worked alongside Bob in their auction business as head auction clerk and office manager at Home Base Auction and Penfield Auctions.   She's folded millions of auction bills and rode alongside Bob millions of miles as his partner in life and work. Winona was also a licensed Real Estate Broker and a graduate of the Bismarck Business College.

While maintaining her role in the family auction business, Winona also had a vibrant nursing career. Her work in the medical field included nursing at St. Luke's Hospital, Southwest Healthcare Systems, and private home healthcare in Bowman. Winona always saw her nursing as a ministry to people at a time in life when they most needed help and compassion. She was so kind and compassionate that even years later, people commented on her gentle care for them.   One of the individuals to whom she provided home health care started a $250,000 nursing scholarship at SDSU as an expression of thanks to Winona.

Winona's greatest accomplishment and job was being a mother of Bert Lyndell, Patricia Ann, Laura Jean, Joan Kay, and Sandra Jo (Sam).   She not only loved her children unconditionally but enjoyed being with them. Nothing made her happier than to spend the day with one of her children or grandchildren.   She could always be counted on to have a roll of quarters for her "perfect" grandchildren. As a Teddy Roosevelt fan, she loved taking them to Medora and buying them ice cream.

Winona was a woman of deep faith and unending optimism. She saw the best in people and believed God was faithful in all things. She cheered her family and friends on with her endless generosity and kindness.   Winona's family were the primary recipients of her everyday acts of extraordinary, selfless love and nurture, but all who encountered Winona experienced her gentleness and grace-filled wisdom.

Winona's later years were marked by Alzheimer's disease, but for her family, she was never defined by the disease. She will always be remembered as a beautiful expression of womanhood at its best. Although her time with us is done, her influence will be felt for generations.

Winona is survived by her beloved husband, Robert Earl Penfield, her five children: Bert Penfield of Bowman, ND, Patty (Sam) Stallings of Beijing, China, Laura (Ray) Jilek of Spearfish, SD, Joan (Casey) Martin of Gas City, IN, and Sam Penfield of New York City, NY. Her brothers Glyndon (Sonia) Logsdon of Virginia Beach, VA, Bert (Adrienne) Logsdon of Reedsport, OR, Garth Logsdon of Gascoyne, ND, and Haskel (Janet) Logsdon of Rapid City, SD. Her grandchildren: Jesse McLaughlin, Sara (Matt) Stallings Jones, Paul Stallings, Benjamin Stallings, Madison Jilek, Allison Jilek, Abigail Martin, Nick Martin, Sam Martin, Maximilian King Ramdeen, Arianna Krinke, Parker Krinke, and her great-granddaughter Brynn McLaughlin, along with loved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Glyndon and Nannie Belle Logsdon and her toddler brother Keith, her in-laws, Earl and Anna Penfield, and her granddaughter Hanna Martin.

Krebsbach and Kulseth Funeral Services of Bowman in charge of the arrangements.