Nona D. Pedler

Nona June (Dunlap) Pedler, 92, Grand Rapids MI, passed away on October 25, 2024 after a brief illness. She was born to Archie and Verna May (Heilbrun) Dunlap on Thursday June 30, 1932 in Oil City PA. Nona was the youngest of three girls; Doris Best and Ila C. Mason. In 1941, just prior to WWII, the family moved from Detroit MI to San Diego.  While at San Diego State College, she met and married Samuel Pedler III. Both collegiates were active in their fraternities: Alpha Gamma Delta, Delta Eta Chapter; and Sigma Phi Epsilon, California Delta Chapter.  Nona proudly wore the Arc of Epsilon Pi awarded for her years serving as treasure of the alumnae chapter and arranging financing for a large remodeling project at the Alpha Gam Sorority house on Montezuma Ave.

While following Sam around the country on his 4-year hitch in the Air Force (Biloxi MS, Albuquerque NM, Anchorage AK, Spokane WA), she became a legal secretary. She worked for Travelodge and at several law firms in San Diego while raising her family and continued to do so when they moved to Casper WY. She was active in the Casper Legal Secretaries Association (treasurer) and was a founding member of the Wyoming Association of Legal Secretaries. After 15 years in Casper, she and Sam retired together and moved back to San Diego. In her retirement, she worked part-time at St. Dunstan’s. She was initiated into The Order of St. Luke’s, a healing prayer ministry and was a member of Julian’s Anchorage Advisory Board, with a group of women who provided social functions, friendship, love and hope to women and children escaping abuse. 

Nona was active in her sons’ school activities/groups, Little League, Cub Scouts and assisted Sam as the Cubmaster / Scoutmaster and his fellow Scout Leaders when they re-chartered Troop 996 at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church. She was a bridge player with multiple groups and rarely turned down a chance to substitute for an absent player.  In November 2007, she organized and served as “queen” for a chapter of Red Hat women, their group was called “Scarlet O’Hatters.” For over 40 years, Sam and Nona enjoyed RVing coast to coast, traveling every summer across the US to visit their sons and grandkids. They also traveled monthly with Weekend Rollers, a Good Sam chapter of fellow RVers. In 2018, Nona returned to Michigan where she met new friends and neighbors, even a new bridge group. She continued to cherish her CA friends and fondly recalled a lifetime of CA memories; her heart truly remained in San Diego. She exemplified Thursday’s Child who had “far to go” all of her life.

Nona is pre-deceased by her husband Sam, her sister Doris and niece Judy. Nona is survived by her three sons: Michael (Vicki), of Billings MT; Matthew (Kim), of Grand Rapids MI; and Martin (Tammy), of Grand Junction CO; her 5 grandchildren: Cody Pedler (ID), Rebecca, David, and Samuel Pedler (MI), and Ashley (Eastyn) Coats (CO); 3 great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews and cousins, including her very special niece Cathy Lougheed (OR) and her dear friend Marlene (Gerry) Pryde of San Diego.

Nona will be inurned next to Sam in the columbarium at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church following a private family service that will be scheduled in the near future. Friends and family are encouraged to donate to St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church Memorial Fund in Nona’s memory, or to the charity of one’s choice.

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