Obituary: Vonda Lee Bronson Wise January 5, 1920 – December 2, 2012

Vonda was born the youngest of seven children to Wilmer Bronson and Naomi Perkins, one of the first families to settle in Monticello. She and her family, including: sister, Gwyn Bronson Meador and brothers; Verde, Eural, Rex, Karel and Don Bronson made their way to Moab where Vonda lived until age 16.

She graduated from high school with honors in Los Angeles, Calif.. She was recruited as a specialist from Walt Disney Studios to become one of the first women members in the unit known as WAVES to be inducted into the United States Navy, in Washington, D.C. There she met Chief Specialist Alan Wise. They were married without ceremony, in dress uniform in 1945. The same year they were both honorably discharge from the United States Navy.

The couple returned to California where they had two children. She went on to excel as an amateur championship golfer. Upon Alan’s retirement, they relocated to Soboba Springs, Calif., where they lived and loved playing golf everyday until his death in February 1987.

She and her daughter Karen returned to Moab in June of 1990. She was a member of the Valley Voices and Daughters of Utah Pioneers. All the while, she never stopped playing golf. From 2001 to 2003 she participated in the Huntsman World Senior Games, never coming home without a medal. She earned two bronze and a special gold medal just ten years ago at the age of 82.