Rebecca Ponda

Rebecca "Becky" Krause Ponda was born in Akron, Colorado, on January 30, 1949. She grew up in a small community and graduated from Akron High School in 1967. Becky has a beautiful soprano voice and sang in the school church choir. Becky attended Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, where she focused on music and was the lead singer in the opera that they performed her freshman year. She attended Western State for two years and decided to leave college and become a flight attendant for United Airlines in March of 1969. Her first home airport was in New York City. Becky went from living in one of the smallest communities in the country to one of the largest cities in the United States. She did it all with determination, grace, and a sense of humor. Her family was thrilled when, after a few years, she could transfer back to Denver. She spent 44 years serving travelers on flights all over the United States. She never liked to be called a "stewardess" and would always correct anyone and tell them she was a "flight attendant."

One fateful night in 1986, Tony Ponda met Becky at the Proof of the Pudding in Denver, Colorado. From there, they fell in love and got married on August 20, 1991, at the Little Chapel in Las Vegas, along with her parents, Bill and Buelah Krause and Tony's children by their side. Tony and Becky remained happy and very much in love up until her passing. Becky embraced Tony's daughter, Heather Freeman, and son, Brett Ponda, as her own children. Becky became a beloved and most wonderful grandma to Heather's children, Kylie, Alex, Sydney, Kieran, and Brett's daughter Ivy. Throughout her grandchildren's years, you would often see her cheering on the sidelines at all the girls' soccer games, sitting in the bleachers during wrestling matches or indoor soccer games, reveling in her granddaughter Ivy's violin rehearsals, and enjoying her grandson Kieran's singing and theatre talents on the stage. As a proud grandma, she was at every academic accolade and awards ceremony where all the grandkids excelled. Being a grandma was a role that Becky was made for, and she was truly loved and adored by all of them.

Becky's gift of gab and laughter could light up a room. Becky often commanded her presence in a room with her joy, kindness, unique laugh, and ability to tell jokes or impersonate celebrities like Lily Tomlin. She attended women's rights causes with her stepdaughter and grandkids and was a champion for other social issues. She loved to talk politics and defend what she believed in. She was always creative and amazed her family with her beautifully handwritten greeting cards that were so eloquently personal. Christmas was her favorite time of year, and she often would take the month of December off just to shop and wrap each gift with care and give her personal touch to each gift and present. She put so much thought into everything she did and ensured everyone felt special. Becky loved everyone and made sure to include everyone.

Becky is survived by her devoted husband, Tony Ponda, and her stepdaughter, Heather Freeman; stepson, Brett Ponda; and her five grandkids and two grandsons' in-laws, Devin McGeehan and Tyler Peabody. Becky was also a wonderful cat mom to five cats whom she requested to be buried with and is survived by her cat Zedo. She is also loved and survived by her in-laws Bobbie and Ron Ponda, Lynne, and Richard Gullion .

Becky is also survived by her sisters Janet Riebesehl and husband Gary of Canton, Georgia, Gayle Domingue of Centerton, Arkansas, and Jewel Vaughn and husband Ken of Kersey, Colorado, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Becky's name to one of these charities:
Breast Cancer Research Foundation: https://www.bcrf.org/
Susan G Koman Foundation: https://www.komen.org/
National Kidney Foundation: Research | National Kidney Foundation