Vonnie graduated from the University of Miami, Ohio, and began her career in education, teaching in Anaheim, California. After marrying Rolland (Dan) L. Ewell in the mid-1960s, she moved to Fresno, where they raised their two sons.
Being a loving mother to Todd and Troy was her greatest joy and later to be replaced additionally by being a loving grandmother to her three grandchildren (Tyler, Tanner and Tiffany). After her divorce from Dan in the early 1970s, Vonnie obtained her real estate license and embarked on a highly successful 25-year career as a real estate broker. She worked with several firms, including VIP Realty, Helen Smades, and Guarantee Financial Real Estate, earning a reputation for her professionalism and care for clients and consistently being recognized as a top producer in Fresno.
In October of 1994, Vonnie married Robert E. Allen of Chico, California, with whom she shared almost 31 happy years living both in Fresno, CA and Friday Harbor, WA. Together they enjoyed traveling, boating in the San Juan Islands on their boat Kiwi Gold, and hosting friends and family gatherings at their homes both in Fresno and Friday Harbor. Vonnie’s love of boating began in her youth on the Great Lakes, and that joy carried through her entire life. She also loved cooking and baking, often drawing from her mother’s treasured recipes, which she lovingly passed down to her granddaughter Tiffany.
She is survived by her husband, Robert E. Allen of Fresno, California; her sons, Todd R. Ewell (Traci) of Pacifica, California, and their daughter Tiffany, and Troy T. Ewell (Cheryl) of Fresno, California, and their sons Tyler and Tanner; her siblings, James Dodway (Caren) of West Virginia and Ann McDowell (Robert) of Michigan; and many extended family members and friends.
Vonnie will be remembered for her devotion to family, her welcoming home, and the many cherished moments she created for those she loved.
