Ronda Gay Madewell was born October 13, 1944 at Rotan, Texas to Calmer Joseph Johnson Jr. and Enide Temple (Brown) Johnson. The family later moved to Yerington, Nevada and farmed there for many years. Ronda graduated from Yerington High School in 1962. She attended the University of Hawaii for 1 ½ years. On November 20, 1976 she was married to Wesley Madewell at Faith Lutheran Church in Yerington by the Rev. Emil Leising. To this union was born one child, Forrest. Ronda brought two children to this union from an earlier marriage; Holley and Erik. Wes also brought two children to this union from his earlier marriage; Mark and Jennifer.

After moving to Winnemucca due to Wes' job, Ronda opened The Stitching Post in 1980, a craft and notion store, with Louise Coburn. After the store was closed in 1988 she began work at Zion Lutheran Church as the Church secretary, and in 1990 as the Preschool secretary, thus becoming the office manager of Zion Lutheran Church, Preschool, and Childcare, until 2004, helping Zion through relocation and growth. Ronda was baptized and confirmed into the Christian faith at Trinity Lutheran Church in Watsonville, California on July 25, 1971 and later transferred her membership to Zion Lutheran Church of Winnemucca, spending many years working there, singing in the choir, making several banners for worship, serving on the altar guild, and being a part of many other activities there. The Church was much a part of her life her last 20 years. Ronda and Wes also met many life long friends while Square-Dancing for many years.

Ronda was a cancer survivor for almost 20 years. However, Ronda died of the affects of cancer on February 29th at 6:07 a.m. while a patient at the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was preceded in death by her parents; Calmer and Enide. She is survived by her husband Wesley of Winnemucca and his mother Mucie Morton of Yerington, three children, two stepchildren, nine grandchildren, and one great granddaughter. These include Ronda's daughter Holley and husband Marshall Poole and children Rebecca and Tyler of Elko, Nevada; Ronda's son Erik of Winnemucca and children Andrew, Chandler, and Bradley; Wes' son, Mark and wife Margaret Madewell of Manteca, California, and children Mark Jr. and Christine, and Christine's daughter, Catalina; Wes' daughter, Jennifer and husband Bill McCollum of Twin Falls, Idaho; and also Ronda and Wes' son Forrest and wife Teri Madewell and children Ethan and Tess of Bakersfield, California.

Services for Ronda will be at Zion Lutheran Church in Winnemucca on Friday, March 14th beginning at 4:00 p.m., and at Faith Lutheran Church in Yerington, Nevada on Sunday, March 16th, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Inurnment will be in the Valley View Cemetery in Yerington, Nevada. Memorials may be given to Zion Lutheran Church for an outdoor worship garden. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be given to the Cancer Treatment Center of America at www.cancercenter.com.

Family and friends are welcomed to sign the online guest book at www.FRFH.net. Freitas Rupracht Funeral Home, Yerington
(775) 463-2911