Ronda Faye Sanchez (Gee)

On Wednesday February 13, 2019 we lost our Wife, Mother, Sister, Grandmother, Aunt, and Daughter after fighting Breast Cancer for 11 months. Ronda was born on Tuesday, August 21, 1956 to Ronald F Gee and Donna J Bowen. She was the first of six kids. She was followed by Brothers James, Todd, then Sisters Marcella and Anngie, and then the youngest brother Donald. She spent her childhood years helping her mother with all the younger siblings and that is where her nurturing nature and ability to multitask was developed. Ronda went to Granite High School where she graduated in the summer of 1974. After graduating high school, Ronda looked for adventure and a chance to help people and that is when she joined the US Army Reserve in a MASH unit with her best friend Jackie Backer. They went to Alabama for Basic Training and Nursing School. As an ARMY nurse she helped caring for and processing refugee children from Vietnam, after the war had ended. She spent 8 years in this role and decided not to continue because she had a family of her own by this time.

In 1979 Ronda met and married her first husband Kevin Butcher. In 1981 Ronda Butcher had the first (and greatest at that time) of two children Jeffrey, then in 1986 Ronda and Kevin decided to cut their losses and try having a pleasant child and that is when Brittany was born. They were not successful at producing a well-behaved child. In 1994 Ronda and Kevin ended their marriage after 15 years.

Ronda dated only a few men after she was divorced until she met the true love of her life Phil Sanchez in 1997. Phil and Ronda got married on August 4, 2000 in Phil’s sister Jenny’s backyard. It was a very romantic and cozy wedding. The marriage combined two families into one. Ronda inherited a new daughter (Mischelle), son-in-law (Rollin) granddaughter (Amie) grandsons (Duane and Kevin) son (Phillip) daughter-in-law (Kim) granddaughter (Whitney) grandson (Braxton) son (John)

In the summer of 2004 Ronda and Phil bought their dream home and enlisted all of their children to help them move with only the promise of one free can of beer (Bud Lite) and two slices of pizza (pepperoni) after moving what felt like 70 tons of furniture, clothes, and blankets. Phil and Ronda remodeled every room in their new home one at a time each with their own unique theme, while making it all flowing and functional. HGTV take a lesson. This also included landscaping both the front and back yards, adding new trees, shrubs, waterfall/pond, yard art, and lighting. Oh! And a new back deck.

In February 2010 Ronda’s daughter got married to Eric Jones, then in November of the same year she welcomed her first grandchild Zoey. Ronda was over the moon at having a third attempt to help raise a well-behaved child. This attempt was a success at first, but Ronda was then soon defeated by Zoey. Ronda, Brittany, and Zoey spent a lot of time together going to the Zoo, Aquarium, playing in the parks, and going for short walks. In 2017 Ronda then had a fourth and final attempt to help raise a well behaved child, Brittany’s second child, Meadow. Ronda only got to spend a short 14 months with Meadow before Ronda passed. However, Meadow was really good to Ronda and never gave her trouble. So her fourth and final attempt was very much a success.

At the start of 2018 Ronda took time off from her 32+ career as an Office Manager with Valley Behavioral (Mental) Health to help care for her failing Father Ronald. After the passing of her father in February she looked forward to retiring in May of 2018 to start her second life with her husband Phil. They were planning travel and maybe even moving out of the state of Utah to escape the cold that neither liked. Then in March of 2018 her future came crashing down with the diagnosis of Breast Cancer. The Dr. was very encouraging when explaining the high success rate with catching Breast Cancer this early so Ronda decided to fight the cancer with Chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation treatment. Ronda had her ups and downs but the tumor in her breast shrunk fast and she had her surgery on time as scheduled. The Dr. were hopeful that all of the cancer was removed and that she was on the road to recovery. On November 5, 2018 Ronda and Phil received word that no one battling cancer wants to hear “the cancer has spread and is in your Liver.” The family was devastated with this news that Ronda was terminal. The Dr.’s were hopeful that with proper treatment Ronda could have 2-4 more years. After a lot of foul language and a few drinks (…cuz, why not?) Ronda picked herself up and with a lot of determination and perseverance she decided to fight again. And fight she did! Until her fight came to a tragic end at her home on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.
We know that Ronda is still protecting us and she will never be forgotten. Ronda will be survived by the following:
Phil Sanchez
Jeff & Kerry Butcher
Brittany & Eric Jones (Zoey, Meadow)
Mischelle & Rollin Mitchell (Amie, Andrew, Avery, Aiden, Duane, Kevin)
Phillip & Kim Sanchez (Whitney, Braxton, Cole)
John Sanchez

Donna Sorenson
Diana Gee
Jim & Carol Gee and family.
Todd & Lori Gee and family.
Marcella Meadors and family.
Anngie & Vern Staker and family.
Donald & Linda Gee and family.
And countless other friends and relatives too many to mention.

Friends and family, we will be having a party to celebrate Ronda’s life at her residence on Saturday, February 16th, 2019 from 4:00 pm – whenever. In lieu of flowers and gifts, just bring your thoughts and memories of Ronda.
1142 East. Vine Street, Murray Utah, 84121