Anthony "Tony" and Bonnie Strandell Vinatieri

MARINA DEL REY, Calif. — When Tony Vinatieri met Bonnie Strandell at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion he said, “that’s the girl for me,” and she was! Bonnie Lyn Strandell was born December 31, 1962 in Quinn, SD. She graduated from Wall High in 1981 and USD Vermillion in 1985. Bonnie Strandell and Tony Vinatieri were married in Wall, SD, May 25, 1985, and made their home in Fort Collins, CO. In 1987 they moved from Fort Collins to Los Angeles, CA. After her successful career with State Farm Insurance, Bonnie and Tony formed a vending services business partnership. Bonnie and Tony died June 6, 2003 in a light plane crash in Los Angeles, CA. Grateful for the love and joy she gave are her surviving family, parents, Don and Ramona Strandell, Spearfish, SD; sisters Julie Strandell, Estes Park, CO, Joie, her husband Kerry and their daughter Jessica Willuweit, Estes Park, CO, and special friend Jane Rutledge, Estes Park, CO; also numerous relatives and friends. Her beloved grandparents, William and Jessie Burgess and Alfred and Bonnie Strandell preceded Bonnie in death. Anthony “Tony” Paul Vinatieri was born April 10, 1961, in Yankton, SD. He attended schools in Sioux City, IA, graduating in 1980 and from USD Vermillion in 1985. In Los Angeles, Tony was employed with Shearson-Lehman until he founded his own company of vending services. Tony died with Bonnie in a tragic light plane crash in Los Angeles, CA, June 6, 2003. Tony will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. He is survived by his special uncle Paul and aunt Judy Vinatieri, Rapid City, SD, and their children, Chad, Adam, Christine and Beau; his parents, Kathy and Keith Sawin, Sioux City, IA; brother Bill and wife Rita Sawin, Papillion, NE; sisters, Linda and husband, Peter Kowalski, Milwaukee, WI, Laura and husband, Mark Armato, Kansas City, MO; also numerous aunts, uncles, cousin and friends. His beloved grandparents, Ab and Rose Vinatieri and Lloyd and Florence Sawin preceded Tony in death. Bonnie and Tony made their home in Marina Del Rey. Family and friends in California held a celebration of their lives together June 16, 2003. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 28, 2003, at the United Methodist Church in Spearfish, SD, with Rev. Kip Roozen officiating. Inurnment will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. The Carlsen & Aldinger Funeral Home of Spearfish has been entrusted with the arrangements. A memorial scholarship in their names will be dedicated at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion.
This obituary was originally published in the Rapid City Journal.