Bonnie Jean Stoeberl

Bonnie was born in Rockport, Missouri. Her family moved from Rockport to Denver, Colorado when she was a freshman in high school. Upon graduation, she went on to cosmetology school. Bonnie was an avid sports fan where she participated on many softball teams, her favorite being the Diamond Dollies. She also loved to bowl and dance.

In 1964, she met and married the love of her life, Al Stoeberl. Together, they raised six children.

In 1979, they moved the family to Salinas where Bonnie began volunteering at the Salinas Rodeo. She established the “Contestant Center” in 1992. Since then, Bonnie has been a fixture at the rodeo and quickly became known as “Bouncing, Bubbly Bonnie” (BBB) to many of the cowboy contestants and, later, Christian cowboy musicians. The center became so popular and successful that it was recognized in the Pro Rodeo News as one of the country’s best contestant centers. One of Bonnie’s greatest achievements was in 2016 when she was honored as “Committee Member of the Year” of the Salinas Rodeo. She wore that buckle with pride. Everyone loved and appreciated Bonnie and her love and dedication to the center and the contestants.

Faith was an important part of Bonnie’s life. Through her faith and love of country music, she created the Christian Country Helps Ministry. She loved to minister through music and brought many Christian Country Artists to the Salinas Rodeo to sing at their Cowboy Church Service. The passion she had for her ministry and music led her to host a Christian Country Concert for 10 years at Sherwood Hall during Big Week. That led to a TV show where she was the host of “His Country Music” on a national PBS station for 5 years. The success of the show earned her and Al two national awards from the Dove Media Productions.

Bonnie was a daughter, wife, mom, grandma and great-grandma. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren brought her some of her greatest joys. She would tirelessly travel all over to watch her kids and grandkids participate in sports, rodeo and other events. She was always exuberantly proud of each ones’ accomplishments.

She was a bundle of love. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she went out of her way to make each year wonderful for all. With a family so large, she cherished the only day of the year for all families to gather together in her famously decorated home.

Bonnie and Al moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 2018 to enjoy a life of retirement. While there, she enjoyed new friends, lots of country western dancing and spring training baseball games.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her dad, Alfred Salfrank, her mom, Leitha “Lenore” (Vance) Salfrank and her son Jayme Stoeberl (widow, Michelle). She is survived by her husband, Alfred Stoeberl, her brother Alfred (Cheryl) Salfrank, her children Leitha (Preston) Thrall, Randall (Stephanie) Stoeberl, Christopher (Candy) Stoeberl, Wendy (Todd) Sans and Crystal (Chris)

Bunch. Her grandchildren: Camlyn Stoeberl, Holly Sherwood-Kopko (Jameson) and Hunter Stoeberl; Johncie (Joe) Young, Josh (Kristen) Schafer and Jessie (Jessca) Schafer; Nicholas, Tessa and Chad Stoeberl; Sierra, Todd Jr.“Buddy” (Savahnna) and Brody (Johanna) Sans; and TJ (Kelli) and Taylor Bunch. Her great-grandchildren include Jade, Willow, Sophia, Landon, Declan, Devin, Gabby, Mason, Aygen, Aria, Lydia, Sloan and Les.

A celebration of life will be held on November 14, 2020. Please contact Wendy or Crystal for detailed information. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation to the passion she so loved. Please notate that the donation is:

“In Memory of Bonnie Stoeberl/For the Contestant Center”

Make checks payable to:

California Rodeo Salinas

PO Box 1648

Salinas, CA, 93902.