Rhonda Renee Wright-Burgie

Rhonda Renee Wright-Burgie was a natural leader whose winning presence allowed her to take control of various situations with ease. Equipped with a clear and calculating focus, she possessed a tough-minded, “take charge” attitude. She had the ability to make even routine situations seem exciting, and she was at ease with the role of playing problem solver. Rhonda always sought out the scene of where the action was. Sociable, analytical and pleasant, Rhonda was an individual who enjoyed life’s challenges.Rhonda was born on October 13, 1956 at England Air Force Base in Alexandria, Louisiana. Her parents were James Wright and Shirley Duplissey. Rhonda was raised in Tennessee until the age of 10, Louisiana until she was 18, and lived in California for 30 years. Always able to express herself well, Rhonda possessed strong interpersonal skills. She was optimistic in her outlook on life and was able at all times to be open and direct in her communication. Armed with a great wit, Rhonda was raised to be accepting of others and to implement a strong personal work ethic.Blessed with a balanced attitude, Rhonda was able to relate well with others. Her occasional role as family mediator gave her the opportunity to ease tense situations when they occurred. Rhonda was raised with three siblings. She had two younger sisters, Sheila and Marian, and one brother, Mark. Rhonda had a strong desire to be treated fairly and would readily offer others the same fairness in return.As a young child, Rhonda showed her creative ability in many ways. She was outgoing and animated. Rhonda enjoyed new activities and pursued a variety of interests. She liked to ride horses and was a Brownie in Girl Scouts. In her spare time she liked reading novels and listening to music.Known to others as a focused, logical, open-minded and somewhat driven individual, Rhonda was able to utilize these qualities to succeed in high school. Her curious nature was spurred by her ability to maximize her personal learning style through employing a hands-on approach. She was good with facts and had an excellent memory. She graduated from Bayou Chicot High School in 1974. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was Literature. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was Janice McCoy.When the goal of college was in sight, it became important to Rhonda. Again, her direct, “down to earth” approach served her well. She was able to absorb complex concepts and had an acute sense of how things worked. She earned her Bachelor of Computer Science degree from Heald College in Milpitas, California.Friends and acquaintances found Rhonda an easy woman to get to know, and those close to her would often praise her open, practical style of communication and relaxed approach to life in general. Rhonda was uncomplicated and straightforward in her relationships, which allowed her to accept people for what they were. While growing up, some of her best friends were Diane Book, Janice Duplissey, and Gayle Fontenot. Later in life, she became friends with Angela Prakh, Marian Thai, Sharika Del Rosario, and Leakha Aguilar.On July 29, 2009 Rhonda exchanged wedding vows with Ondrieus Burgie at the San Jose Courthouse of San Jose, California. Rhonda was attentive to Ondrieus's feelings, and she charmed Ondrieus and others with her gift for being able to give freely and generously. A good listener with an engaging personality, Rhonda was able to bring pleasure and unexpected humor to the relationship.Very much like a kid herself, Rhonda identified with the inquisitive and creative side of her children’s personalities. She was able to direct her energy and spontaneity towards helping her children acquire added common sense skills. Rhonda was blessed with four children. She had one son, James, and three daughters, Roedana, Rowaida, and Reema. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Titus, Savai, Kion, Lorenzo, and Leemes.Rhonda was a flexible worker who was able to draw the best from others around her. A persuasive individual who was quick to make necessary decisions, Rhonda’s strengths included being able to think on her feet. She could be a leader who sought impact for her decisions. Gifted with an incredible ability to read body language, Rhonda was able to positively manipulate situations and motivate others in order to get a task completed. She was a good negotiator who enjoyed new challenges. Rhonda could multi-task, and she was endowed with entrepreneurial spirit, allowing her to think beyond standard norms when it came to resolving issues in her work environment. Her primary occupation was in computer I.T. She was employed for 10 years by Western Digital.Rhonda enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. She had something of an artistic flair in many of the things that she did. She put this creativity toward all of her pastimes. Her favorite pursuits were reading, video games, and dancing. She was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.Rhonda held close traditional values and as a result, faith was important to her. She was a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church. During that time, she was on the church choir.Rhonda’s natural leadership qualities placed her in consideration for public recognition, earning her accolades for her many and varied efforts throughout her life. Some of her most prestigious awards included getting honors in college.Travel and vacations were experiences that Rhonda truly enjoyed. She preferred to seek out excitement wherever she went and she was partial to vacations that were casual and laid back with an atmosphere of “live and let live.” She was willing to leave her plans open and flexible, just in case something more interesting came along. Favorite vacations included Tennessee, Cambodia, and Louisiana.Rhonda was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Rhonda’s favorites were Sassy, a Yorkie, Stoney, a German Shepherd, and Rosie, a Rottweiler. They were all best friends for about 2 years. Her family was rounded out by Silver, her girl-horse.Rhonda passed away on November 19, 2009 at home in San Jose, California. She is survived by her husband Dre Burgie, mother Shirley Hart, father James Wright, step-father Charles Hart, sisters Sheila Agrella and Marian Thai, son James Walton, daughters Roedana, Reema, and Rowaida, and her five grandchildren, Titus, Savai, Kion, Lorenzo, and Leemes. Services were held in the Chapel of Roses at Oak Hill Funeral Home in San Jose, California. Rhonda was laid to rest in Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose, California.Rhonda was the kind of person who could win others over easily. A concrete communicator, she relied on her senses to increase her involvement and awareness of others. She was always able to provide amusing repartee to her friends and acquaintances, offering a seemingly endless supply of quips, anecdotes, jokes and stories. If Rhonda had a theme song written about her, it might well have been “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” She enjoyed her life and the experience of living it. This is how everyone will remember Rhonda Renee Wright-Burgie.