Bonnie J. Roland

Bonnie J. Roland, age 94, of Omaha, passed away on Monday, February 9, 2026 at An Angels Touch assisted living in Omaha. Memorial services will be on Monday, March 9, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at Living Faith Fellowship Church in Kearney. There will be no visitation and burial will take place at a later date. Memorials are suggested to First Christian Church, Omaha; or Johnson Lake Fire & Rescue. Please visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a tribute or message of condolence. Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney are in charge of arrangements. Bonnie was born on March 21, 1931, in Litchfield, Nebraska, to Tom and Opal (Sigler) Newman. She attended Ansley High School and graduated with the class of 1949. Bonnie was a cheerleader who married her high school sweetheart, Ansley football standout, Ralph Roy Roland. They were married on September 10, 1950. The couple lived in Broken Bow, Nebraska, where Bonnie worked for Broken Bow State Bank and Ralph farmed. They then moved to Kearney, Nebraska, so Ralph could pursue his college education. Although Bonnie had a scholarship to attend college, she was highly recommended by the President of Broken Bow State Bank to apply at Platte Valley State Bank in Kearney and was hired. She started her career as a teller and worked her way up as an officer. Bonnie began her employment with the bank on August 12, 1963, and retired on August 01, 2001, from Platte Valley State Bank, now known as First National Bank of Omaha. During her career in Kearney, she was very involved in community leadership, serving as Chamber Envoys Chairperson, and was respected highly by all. Matter of fact, she was fondly known as the “Queen Bee” of Kearney. In addition, she was a member of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) in Lexington, NE; member of Kearney Faculty wives, and served on Mike Johann’s election committee. In earlier years, she was a member of First Christian Church in both Broken Bow and Kearney; Bonnie became a member of the First Christian Church in Omaha, Nebraska, on March 9, 2025. She also enjoyed working outside with her flowers, embroidering, and playing bridge with her friends. Bonnie and Ralph spent most of their life in Kearney before retiring at Johnson Lake, Nebraska, where lots of family and friends gathered and made so many memories with them. In February of 2024, they moved to Omaha and resided at Marquis Place in Elkhorn, Nebraska. After her husband’s passing, Bonnie moved to An Angel’s Touch, a loving assisted and memory care home in Omaha, Nebraska. Surviving relatives include her daughters, Christine Sanders (Bob) of Green Valley, Arizona, Sharen Wroblewski (Jim) of Elkhorn, Nebraska and Karen Thompson (Blain) of Johnson Lake, Nebraska; Grandchildren include Jarrod and Brandon Sanders, Angie Butler, Cory Wroblewski and Colby Christensen; She is also survived by 9 great-grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews; Surviving siblings include Darlene Price of Ansley, Nebraska, Larry Newman (Alice) of Lincoln, Nebraska and Kenneth Newman (Nancy) of Sutherland, Nebraska. Bonnie was preceded in death by her loving husband, Ralph; parents, Tom and Opal (Sigler) Newman; Siblings, Tommie Newman of Lincoln, Nebraska, Richard Newman of Ceresco, Nebraska, Marie Payne (Robert) of Kearney, Nebraska; brother-in-Law, Jim Price, of Ansley, Nebraska; Betsy Mae, great-granddaughter, of Bennington, Nebraska.

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Bonnie J. Roland

March 21, 1931 - February 9, 2026