Vernon Lee French
Vernon Lee French
Vernon Lee French, died on March 3, 2024, at Robson Reserve in Sun Lakes, Ariz. He was born May 21, 1926, in Spink County, S.D., to Pearl and Earl French. Vernon lived and attended school in Beadle County, S.D. He married Marilyn June Palmer on June 13, 1948, in Danube, Minn., after his return from WWII. They raised three children. Vern and Marilyn moved from Danube, Minn., to Bryan, Ohio, in 1959 for Vern to take a position with the Ohio Art Company and where they made their home for 59 years. In 1991 Vern retired from the Ohio Art Company as the Director of Transportation and Warehousing. Since 2001 they lived in SunBird Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz., initially as snowbirds (winters) and full time starting in 2017.
In the early years Vernon farmed until graduating from Humboldt Institute in St. Paul, Minn., before moving to Bryan, Ohio. Vernon served on Bryan City Council for 25 years and volunteered in the community through several organizations, Lions Club, Masonic Temple, Butler Street Faith United Methodist Church, and New Hope Church. Vern and Marilyn played in several bridge clubs in Bryan and Chandler, enjoyed golf, and loved “coffee with the guys.”
Vernon loved his family; especially hosting family holidays and gatherings. He also loved the A to Z senior group and Sunday school class with New Hope Church. Vernon also loved attending the Community Church of Sunbird in Chandler, where Vernon served on the leadership committee for four years. He is remembered as being such a great guy, an excellent listener, a gardener, and a talented woodworker and will be fondly remembered.
Vernon was preceded in death by Marilyn in 2020 after almost 72 years of marriage, his father Earl, his mother Pearl, his sisters Jean Hurst of Redfield, S.D., and Lois Poe of Bonilla, S.D., and brothers Wayne French and Norman French of Redfield, S.D. He is survived by his sister Eleanor Christianson of Kalispell, Mont.; son Curtis (Susan) French of Syracuse, Ind., and Chandler, Ariz.; son Craig (Pat) French of Norwalk, Ohio; daughter Cherri (Steve) Meyer of Bryan, Ohio, and Chandler, Ariz.; 13 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren.
The family is planning a visitation on Friday afternoon, July 26, 2024, and Celebration of Life, on Saturday, July 27, 2024, both in Bryan, Ohio, at a location yet to be determined. Interment with military rites will be held following the Celebration of Life at Shiffler Cemetery, Bryan, Ohio.
Memorials may be made to the Vernon L. French Memorial Scholarship c/o Bryan Area Foundation, P O Box 651, Bryan, Ohio 43506.
Annette (Toni) Onyx Greisiger
Annette (Toni) Onyx Greisiger
Annette (Toni) Onyx Greisiger, 95, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 4, 2024, in Sun Lakes, Ariz.
Toni was born on Aug. 21, 1928, to Emerson and Mildred (Daniels) Bray in Philadelphia, Penn. Toni had two older siblings, Barbara (Bobbi) and Frank. She grew up in Upper Darby, Penn., in a loving home and was active in Girl Scouts, church choir, and spending her summers either visiting her grandparents in Connecticut, attending camp, or at the seashore in Avalon, N.J. She graduated from Upper Darby High School in 1946.
In the fall of 1946, Toni enrolled with her high school friend, Joan McElfresh, at the Stenotype Institute in Philadelphia. There she met the first love of her life, Robert (Bob) Onyx. Bob was also there with his longtime friend, John (Jack) Greisiger, who began to date Joan. In 1947, Toni started her secretary career at Atlantic Refining Co. in Philadelphia. She first worked in Job Analysis and later in the Purchasing Department.
Joan and Jack married on Aug. 6, 1949, and Toni and Bob married on July 17, 1950. The two couples remained close while raising their families.
Toni worked for the Mount Laurel, N.J., township manager as secretary for 16 years. Her job responsibilities were purchasing, taking dictation, creating agendas for meetings, and answering phones.
While raising her two sons, Lee and Wayne, Toni showed them her love of sports such as golfing, skiing, hiking, and biking. She also enjoyed traveling to federal and state parks and camping. Her hobbies included attending auctions, antiquing, gardening, reading, doing crossword puzzles, and cross-stitch needlework.
When Bob died in January 1993, Toni made an independent life for herself. After Joan died in October 1995, Jack continued to live in the Phoenix area. In June 1996, Toni took a Elderhostel trip to Arizona and visited Jack. After this visit, Jack knew that, while he had loved Toni as Bob’s wife and a close friend for 50 years, his love had changed. In August 1996, Jack bought an airplane ticket for a five-week stay to visit Toni in New Jersey. Jack expressed his love and proposed marriage. Toni and Jack married Nov. 9, 1996.
Toni and Jack’s permanent residence began in Mount Laurel, N.J., and snowbirds in SunBird, a golf community in Chandler, Ariz. In 2000, they made a decision to sell the New Jersey residence and make the Arizona home permanent. Toni engaged in many activities in SunBird and was a member of the Garden Club for 25 years and the Lady 18ers for over 20 years. She took on roles such as publicity, secretary, and president. She was also on the Rules Committee for the HOA.
Toni was predeceased by her parents; her siblings, Frank (Gigi) Bray and Bobbi (Bud) Kratz; her husbands Robert Onyx and Jack Greisiger; a son, Wayne Onyx; and granddaughter, Caroline Onyx.
Toni is survived by her loving family: her son Lee Onyx (Karen), daughter-in-law Lisa Onyx, and stepdaughters Jan Turner (Tom) and Jeanne McMurdy. Her memory lives on with her grandchildren: Ryan Onyx (YuanKai), Caitlyn Weber (Rob), and step-grandchildren: Nathan Turner (Becca), Kyle McMurdy, Amanda Vegh (Ryan), Tom (Kim) Turner, Shelly (Donovan) Christian, and great-grandchildren: Lily Onyx, Emily and Allie Weber, and step great-grandchildren: Wesley, Lauren, Joseph, Ethan, Thomas, Travis, Tyler, Jacob, Ben Turner, Luke and Caleb Christian, Oliver and Ayden Vegh. She will be remembered and missed by all her nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made online to Hospice of the Valley, hov.org/donate/donate-now/ or can be mailed to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St. Phoenix, AZ 85014. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at LakeshoreMort.com for the Onyx family.