- Date Of Birth: April 20, 1923
- Date Of Death: May 20, 2014
- State: Arizona
Vonda Louise Young McKinney, 91, of Holbrook, AZ, passed away on May 20, 2014 at the Rim Country Health and Retirement Community in Payson, AZ. Vonda was born to William and Alice (Hunt) Young on April 20, 1923 in Safford, AZ.
Vonda lived most of her early life in the Holbrook area and graduated from Holbrook High School. She married Lenn McKinney on September 11, 1942 in Ventura, CA and they were together for almost twenty years living in the Holbrook and Fredonia, AZ areas. Lenn passed away in May 1962, after which Vonda moved to Page, AZ before returned to Holbrook.
Vonda accomplished many things in her life to include: driving semi-trucks, a bartender, a cook, the co-owner of the Coconino Cafe and the McKinney Service and Supply Company in Fredonia. Vonda was the first female Justice of the Peace in Coconino County in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s and retired as the Navajo County Justice of the Peace in 1985. She liked to travel the Western U.S. and was an accomplished photographer. She also loved music and played the piano, mandolin, banjo, guitar, violin/fiddle and bass violin.
She played in many fiddling contests and musical jam sessions throughout Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. She gave her children all the love they could wish for and all the attention, care, and encouragement she could. She was sweet, intelligent, and a conscientious person. She made a lot of friends and had a great sense of humor. She has been a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Vonda was preceded in death by her parents, husband, nine brothers, a daughter, Donna Lou Pruitt and two great grandsons. She is survived by her sister, Nadine Mendenhall in San Diego, CA; son’s Stephon L. Schacholt of Holbrook and Arthur Y. McKinney (Linda) of Alamogordo, NM, ten grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson along with numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the Rim Country Health and Retirement Community and the Payson Hospice for their compassionate care during Vonda’s last days.
