Eleanor Ardice Bonstrom

  Research Notes:

Summary: 5 Apr 2021

I have used Ancestry Family Trees, other Ancestry links, and Newspapers.com as research sources. However, I have found little detail. My research is not complete. Nevertheless, I think I have been able to determine the basics.

I have found no evidence that she had any children. She was married at least 3 times, as I have indicated below. None of the other family researchers have recorded her three husbands, and some of the FTs regarding the husbands of her last 2 marriages do not record any information about their 2nd marriage to Eleanor. There are some links between the obits for Eleanor, James Frank Locke and Luther F Ramsey (as well as obits for Eleanor's parents/siblings) that connect the three marriages. Eleanor's obit mentions she was married to Frank Locke (he was born James Frank, but likley used the given name Frank. Frank Locke's names his two children (from an earlier marriage) and that his son lives in New Mexico. It also notes that he is survived by his wife Eleanor. Luther Ramsey's obit notes that he was the husband of Eleanor (it appears that she was also known with the given name of Sheri) and his step-son, Frank Locke from New Mexico. Eleanor's father's obit notes that he was survived by his daughter Eleanor Locke. And her mother's obit (and siblings) note that she/they are survived by a daughter/sister, Eleanor Ramsey.

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1. Modified Chronological

Eleanor Ardice Bonstrom, b 22 Mar 1918, Buffalo, Wright Co, MN
died 25 Oct 2007, Tucson, AZ
1st marriage: 12 Sep 1942 [divorced 1956]
Donald R Sheridan, b 5 May 1919, Hennepin Co and died 8 Aug 1972, Hennepin Co
2nd marriage: abt 1956 [location unknown] to James Frank Locke, 18 Sept 1911, Orange Co, Vermont;
died 4 Apr 1969 at Tucson, Arizona
3rd marriage: about 1970 [likely Tucson] to Luther Frank [Franklin] Ramsey
born 10 July 1922, Massachusetts; died 1 Oct 1987, Tucson, AZ

NO evidence that Eleanor had any children.

2. Eleanor

Eleanor: OBIT; Arzona Daily Star issue 30 Oct 2007, page B5 [newspapers.com]
- died 25 Oct 2007 at age 89 [name, Eleanor "Sheri" Ramsey]
- born in Buffalo, MN, but long time resident Tucson
- survived by brother, Charles Bonstrom (Kathleen); sister Emilene Rockland
... nieces/nephews [names are recorded]
- preceded by father, Ephriam G Bonstrom, husband Frank Locke [??] ** brother
Clifford Bonstrom, mother Myrtle H Bonstrom; sister, Carolyn J Dean;
sister Lorna Wallo, and husband Luther F Ramsey

** in her father's obit of 1956 - survived ..... 4 daughters ... Mrs Eleanor
Locke .......

USS Death Application and Claims Index (ancestry)
name: Aug 1937 Eleanore Ardyess Bonstrom
Sep 1942, Eleanor Bonstrom Sheridan
Apr 1956, Eleanor Ard Locke
May 1970, Eleanor Ard Ramsey
Oct 2006, Eleanor A Ramsey

3. 1st marriage
Donald Roy Sheridan, b 5 May 1919, Minneapolis
(WW 2 draft card; registered 16 Oct 1940)
findagrave, id 3501312; Fort Snelling; 8th Infantry Reg 4th Infantry Div
born 5 May 1919; died 18 Aug 1972 ; BUT death annoucement in Minneapolis Star
issue of 17 Aug 1972 page 42; MNHS death cert died 8 Aug 1972
with birth as 5 May 1919 with mother's maiden name, Erickson
- no obit in issue of 8, 9, 10, 17, 18 Aug

The Minneapolis Star, issue 19 Apr 1956, p 28
divorces granted: Eleanor Sheridan from Donald R Sheridan

Minneapolis City Directory, 1950 from Hennepin County Library
https://box2.nmtvault.com/Hennepin2/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=7083e412-1de2-42fe-b070-7f82e5c869a4/mnmhcl00/20200708/00000037
[Note: ancestry collection and volumes for Minneapolis only are scanned to about
the letter 'P' ]
- image 1170, [1st col] Sheridan, Donald R (Eleanor A), h 3708 Elliot Ave, apt 3

1948 issue: same address and names, but he is a student

2. 2nd marriage

James Frank Locke OBIT: Arizona Daily Star, issue 6 Apr 1969, page 22
- died at age 57; residence 1501 N Miracle Mile [Tucson ?]
- survived by wife Eleanore; son Frank of Las Cruces, N. Mex.; daughter Peggy Deland
of Tacoma WA; grandchildren ...... brothers ....
- funeral at Spanish Trail Lutheran Church ..
findagrave id 117006891; East Lawn Palms Cemetery and Morturary, Tucson
b 18 Sep 1911 [no location noted]; died 4 Apr 1969

Birth record for James Frank Locke jr, b 18 Sept 1911, Orange Co, Vermont
father James Frank Locke born in Maine, age 66
mother Bertha Florence Raddis age 35 born in Cherokee Iowa
linked from Ancestry Family Tree - Katz-Weldon FT [Marion Littman]
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/13457507/person/110202597382/facts
- his 1st marriage 26 Dec 1931, Dade Co, FL; to Ruby Walker, b 1912
and they had 2 children
- DOES NOT mention a second marriage to Eleanor

Another FT on Ancestry: Jim Deland FT [James William Deland]
- records the similiar information, but names the 2 children of James Frank Locke:
Peggy Jean Locke b 1932 and Frank M Locke, b 1934
and references the 1940 US Census, Miami, Dade Co, FL; Ed 69-74; sheet 14B,
household 1228, line 77
James F Locke, age 28 b in Vermont; wife Ruby age 28 b Georgia
daughter Peggy J age 7 [1933] b in FL and son Frank age 6 [1934] b in FL
- there is a link re through ancestry on the name Peggy Locke; OR divorce
6 Aug 1979 to George Deland at Washington Co, Or
- DOES NOT mention a second marriage to Eleanor
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/82060911/person/32522061610/facts

Another FT: Master List FT [bhelenh]
- simmilar to the above
- links to WW 2 draft: James Frank Locke living at 731 Citrus Ave, Ft. Pierce,
St Lucie FL; with registration as 19 Oct 1940; birth as above, at Brookfield, Vermont
and works for FL Power and Light Co; contact, wife Mrs. ....
- DOES NOT mention a second marriage to Eleanor
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/5513755/person/-995264229/facts


3. 3rd marriage


Luther Frank Ramsey OBIT: Arizona Daily Star, issued 4 Oct 1987, page 88
- died 1 Oct 1987 at age 65 [1922]
- survived by wife Eleanor (Sheri) of Tucson; stepsons Bruce Meyer of Tucson
and Frank Locke of New Mexico; brothers/sister ....; nieces/nephews......
Luther Frank - Ancestry FTs
Palmateer FT [SharonLPalmateer]
born Luther Franklin Ramsey on baptised on 10 July 1922; parents John Franklin and Ruth Cassell
Ramsey, but born at Adams, Berkshire Co, Massachusetts - from US Presbyterian Church
records: Kingston [Ulster Co] New York
1940 US Census for Ulster, Ulster Co, NY; ED 56-81; line 73 for father - Luther is
recorded age is 17 born in Massachusetts
-links to WW 2 draft, similar to above living at 636 Broadway, Ulster, NY; not working
registered 30 Jun 1942; but enlisted on 8 Mar 1946 on 2nd occasion;
first enlisted 24 Nov 1942 and released on 12 Nov 1945, Branch AF [Air Force]
- DOES NOT mention a marriage to Eleanor
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/43687366/person/282218149139/facts

Eleanor married Donald Roy Sheridan on 12 Dec 1942 in Hennepin Co, Minnesota, United States. (Donald Roy Sheridan was born on 5 May 1919 in Hennepin Co, Minnesota, United States, died on 8 Aug 1972 in Hennepin Co, Minnesota, United States and was buried in Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Hennepin Co, Minnesota, United States.)

Eleanor next married James Frank Locke about 1956 in Hennepin Co, Minnesota, United States. (James Frank Locke was born on 18 Sep 1911 in Orange Co, Vermont, United States, died on 4 Apr 1969 in Tucson, Pima Co, Arizona, United States and was buried in East Lawn Palms Cemetery and Morturary, Tucson, Pima Co, Arizona, United States.)

Eleanor next married Luther Franklin Ramsey about 1970 in Tucson, Pima Co, Arizona, United States. (Luther Franklin Ramsey was born on 10 Jul 1922 in Massachusetts, United States and died on 1 Oct 1987 in Tucson, Pima Co, Arizona, United States.)