Lillian May Donley
Lillian May Donley
Lillian May Donley passed away in Chandler, Ariz., on Dec. 12, 2023, at the age of 95. She was born on Jan. 20, 1928, to Robert and Neta Donley in Vinton, Iowa, on a small farm. She graduated from Lincoln High School, Vinton, Iowa, in 1944.
She married Merle Wardenburg of Williamsburg, Iowa, in 1947. They relocated to Southern California and two years later moved to Phoenix where she went to work for Phoenix Title and Trust as executive secretary to the president of the company. Later she was the secretary/treasurer for a quarter horse ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz. She was divorced in 1976 and continued working as a secretary/treasurer for a building contractor.
Lillian became a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Scottsdale in 1957. A devoted member, she taught Sunday School there, and was the secretary/treasurer for the church for many years after it established a new Church in Paradise Valley in 1962.
An avid, long-time member of the SunBird tennis club, Lillian played until the young age of 85 and served as the club’s secretary. Lillian not only loved playing tennis, but she was dedicated to tennis organization and officiating. She organized and officiated at local tournaments for 45 years. In 1990, at the U.S. Open Professional Tennis Tournament in New York City, the United States Tennis Association presented Lillian the first ever Nicholas E. Powel Award for outstanding contribution to tennis officiating at the sectional level. Passionate about exercise, Lillian was an enthusiastic volunteer leader of exercise classes while at SunBird and volunteered for Neighbors Who Care throughout the Sun Lakes area.
Lillian was preceded in death by her parents and several brothers and sisters. She is survived by brother Bobby Donley (Patty Donley) of Littletown, Calif., sister Marlias Donley Wood of Iowa, her sons Mark Wardenburg (Alana Hunter) of Palo Alto, Calif., and Michael Wardenburg of Las Vegas, Nev., grandchildren Erik Wardenburg of Rochester, N.Y., and Marla Wardenburg Greiner (Dustin Greiner) of Des Moines, Iowa, great-grandson Henry Greiner, and numerous nieces and nephews. No services or memorials are planned.
Donations in memory of Lillian Donley may be made to Ascension Lutheran Church of Paradise Valley.
Fred Ponce
Fred Ponce
Fred Ponce, longtime SunBird resident, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023. Fred was married to his loving wife, Cindy, for 57 years. They have one son, who resides in New York. Many may know Fred from the SunBird Gatehouse. Fred started working at the gate, welcoming residents, guests, and vendors, back in November 1997. He enjoyed riding his bicycle to work daily and primarily worked weekdays and the evening shift. Fred will be dearly missed.