Vondell “Vonnie” Baird, 88, a former resident of Winslow, passed away on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, in Phoenix. No services planned at her request.
She was born on Feb. 1, 1927, in Winslow. She attended Winslow schools, graduating from Winslow High School in 1945. Upon graduating, she went to work in the Santa Fe Superintendent Offices as a secretary and then a PBX operator in the Communication Department.
Taking a buy out in 1972, Vondell and her husband, Ben Leonard, bought a home and moved to Paradise Valley. She worked for the Santa Fe Credit Union for a year before being called back to the Santa Fe to work clerical jobs. She eventually had to go back to Winslow to work for five years in order to qualify for retirement in 1989.
Returning to Phoenix, Vondell worked as a receptionist/secretary at a retirement home for a year. She was a computer operator at John C. Lincoln Hospital for four years. Interested in caregiving, she helped the elderly and also spent a year in Reno as a companion for a lady who had the beginnings of Alzheimer’s disease.
In 2000, Vondell moved to Sun City, where all the activities kept her too busy to work. She enjoyed life! She was a beautiful person inside and out!
Her daughter, Lillian Kutch, preceded Vondell in death.
Survivors include her sister, Babe Wade; her nephew, Tim (Marilyn) Wade of Mesa; her grandson, Mike Beckwith; her great-grandchildren, Hailey, Riley, and Joey Beckwith; her stepchildren, Vikkilynn Ward and Micky (Theresa) Leonard, all of Phoenix; and several nieces, nephews and stepgrandchildren.
