About Anna

Excerpts from the Funeral Bulletin... ...written by her uncle, Paul Gullixson

Anna Kirstina Bonde was born on May 13, 1981 in Oregon, Ohio, the first child of David Bonde and Debra Stewart Bonde. Her sister, Megan Jean Bonde, was born two years later, on December 24, 1983.

Anna's family moved to Detroit in 1983 where her father was the pastor of St. Olaf Lutheran Church. A year later, her mother founded Seedlings Braille Books for Children, now of Livonia, Michigan, where Anna worked periodically throughout her life.

From almost the moment she was born, it was clear Anna was destined to be a performing artist. At an early age, she produced plays and dances out of little more than a keen imagination and a box of old clothing, casting family members to fill supporting roles--whether they wanted to or not.

She appeared in her first live theater performance for the Lathrup Youth Theater while in grade school and continued her stage involvement after her family moved to the Livonia-Westland area in 1990. At Churchill High School she joined the Creative and Performing Arts Program (CAPA) where she further developed her skills appearing in such productions as "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "South Pacific," "Stage Door" and "Picnic."

During her junior year she played the role of Peggy Sawyer in the school musical "42nd Street" where she showcased her talents in singing, dancing and acting. In her senior year she landed her most cherished role-- as Anne in the CAPA production of "The Diary of Anne Frank."

Anna also was active at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church where she was a member of the choir and youth group and was involved in such church-sponsored programs as helping rehabilitate houses for the poor or elderly.

Anna always enjoyed the outdoors--whether backpacking or just picking wildflowers-- often telling friends she was "solar powered."

She wrote for the Churchill High School Literary Magazine and was an accomplished student, receiving a Mathematics Departmental Award, and a Creative and Performing Arts Department award.

In 1999, she graduated Summa Cum Laude--8th in her class of 400. She was a National Merit Scholar, a member of the National Honor Society and a recipient of a Livonia Arts Scholarship and a NHS scholarship.

Anna entered St. Olaf College of Northfield, Minnesota, in 1999 where she double-majored in theater and dance. During her freshman year, she made the Dean's List with a GPA of 3.92. During the fall of her sophomore year, she attended Western Michigan University before returning to St. Olaf in January of 2001.

Anna died on March 17, 2001 while in route to New Orleans where she and four of her St. Olaf classmates planned to spend spring break volunteering at an elementary school. Their car was struck by a drunk driver driving the wrong way on Interstate Highway 55 near Springfield, IL. Two of her friends were also killed.

She will be deeply missed by her mother, father, and sister, along with her grandparents, the members of her extended family, and many other relatives and friends.

She is laid to rest in our sure and certain hope in the resurrection through our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all Grace and Life.