Vonda Lee West Cranford
Vonda Lee West Cranford, age 82 of Malvern, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at her home on March 13, 2021. She was born June 8, 1938, in Los Angeles, California, to Vaughn Winston and Clara Burris West. She was a wife, daughter, sister, mother, Grand, great-Grand, teacher, mentor, and friend. She was a life-long educator teaching at Malvern Junior and Senior High School for 38 years and then continued to serve on the school board for 20 years.
Vonda was intensely involved in the central Arkansas community. She was an elder at First Presbyterian Church, a voting representative to the Arkansas School Board Association State Conference, a member of the Silver Haired Legislature, an Arkansas School Boards Association State Board member, and a member of the Malvern/Hot Spring County Library Board. She received numerous awards, including the President’s Award for School Board Members and the Malvern/Hot Spring County Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award (2015). She was added to the Malvern Leopard Foundation Wall of Honor in 2018.
Traveling the world was a hobby for Vonda. She made sure to see every site and visit every museum. She loved spending time caring for her beautiful garden. Daffodils were a favorite of hers. A typical weekend involved spending hours searching for treasure in the local antique stores. She had a passion for literature and the fine arts, her book collection extensive enough to open a library.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Survivors include her devoted husband and high school sweetheart, James Robert Cranford, who she married June 15, 1956. Her three daughters and their husbands: Natasha and Richard Tolleson of Temple, TX, Nikki and Richard Launius of Texarkana, TX, Jacqueline and Richard Rogers of Malvern, AR; Seven grandchildren: Alexandra Von Tolleson LaMotte (Bradlee), Spencer Cranford Tolleson (Macon), Emma Claire Tolleson, James Edward Thornton, Max William Thornton (Sarah), Raquel Catherine Rogers Hughes (Colten), Blair Elizabeth Rogers Goshien (Chase); eight great-grandchildren: Charlotte and Penelope LaMotte, Elijah, Emmett, and Everett Thornton, Jasper, Jude, and Juliana Hughes, one brother Gail Wayne West of Malvern and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, March 17th from 6-8pm at Regency Funeral Home.
Graveside services will be Thursday, March 18th at 9:30am at Oakridge Cemetery. Pallbearers are grandsons James Thornton, Max Thornton, Spencer Tolleson, Bradlee LaMotte, Colten Hughes, and Chase Goshien.
Celebration of Life Service will also be Thursday, March 18th at 11:00am at First Presbyterian Church, Malvern.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association to help support and accelerate research.