Disneyland employee killed in golf cart accident remembered for volunteer work – Orange County Register

A table setting in Disneyland’s expensive private Club 33, as seen in 2012 before the recent remodel. Photo by Joshua Sudock, Orange County Register.

Bonnye Lear, the leader of Club 33, had been volunteering for years in her hometown of Fullerton and was just beginning her retirement as a docent at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda when she was killed in a tragic accident at Disneyland.

Lear, 60, of Fullerton was seriously injured on Wednesday, June 5, when she fell from a golf cart in the backstage area behind Critter Country. She succumbed to her injuries on Friday, June 7.

Tributes abounded for Lear, who volunteered at the Fullerton Museum Center and the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum and served as a tour guide for the Discover Fullerton on Foot campaign.

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“Bonnye had a deep passion for our community and that was evident in her years of volunteer work as the leader of our Discover Fullerton on Foot program, as a docent at the Fullerton Museum Center and in many other areas,” Fullerton Mayor Nick Dunlap said in a statement.

The Fullerton Museum Center offers exhibits on history, science and art in the city’s historic Carnegie Library building. The Discover Fullerton on Foot program offers themed walking tours. The Nixon Library houses presidential materials, the Watergate tapes, a history museum, the Marine One helicopter and the birthplace of the 37th president.

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I used to work with Bonnye and she was literally the nicest person to work at the Disneyland Resort. This is really very sad for her family and her fellow Cast Members at the Club. 😔😔😔 https://t.co/G7gXAVFQCr pic.twitter.com/KkHyh9gVXD

– Just Ask Danny (@just_ask_danny) June 8, 2024

Lear led tours of her hometown that told stories about the mysteries of Fullerton, the art of New Deal public buildings, and ghost stories.

Lear was appointed as a docent at the Nixon Library just days before the fatal accident at Disneyland, and according to Steve Foster, chairman of the library’s docents association, his training was scheduled to begin next week.

“From our perspective, it’s very sad,” Foster said in a telephone interview. “She was a brand new instructor to us. In fact, she hadn’t even attended her first training yet.”

SEE ALSO: Disneyland president remembers ‘kind’ and ‘gentle’ employee who died after backstage accident

According to Foster, Lear was looking forward to working as a docent at the Nixon Library as she prepared for retirement.

“As she neared the end of her career at Disneyland, she wanted to find something meaningful to use her skills in,” Foster said. “That’s why she chose us and we were grateful to have her.”

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Lear had just toured the Nixon Library with other new volunteers in preparation for joining the 200-person team when Foster received the terrible news.

“We had just met her,” Foster said. “We only met her during the orientation process. She just hadn’t had a chance to really get going yet.”