SCMA president succumbs to cancer
ORANGE, Calif. – Southern California Marine Association President Byron Bronson, 69, of Santa Ana, Calif., passed away Monday at Western Medical Center in Anaheim, Calif., due to cancer related complications, SCMA said in a press release yesterday.
“Byron was a unique and special person,” said Dave Geoffroy, SCMA executive director. “He was my boss, but also a very close personal friend. Byron personified strength in judgment and character regardless of the situation. His work on behalf of SCMA was exemplary. His contributions and leadership will be greatly missed.”
Bronson played football at the University of Texas, eventually entering the National Football League where he played for the Vince Lombardi-coached Green Bay Packers as a defensive lineman. Following his pro football career, Bronson coached high school ball and pursued performance boating. In the 1970s, Bronson and his son Joel became frequent participants at local APBA boat racing events. He also discovered he had a talent for public speaking and soon found himself behind the microphone at numerous boat races calling the action.
In the early 1990s, Bronson and his son entered the marine industry, opening Bronson-Hill Propellers in Santa Ana, a boat propeller repair and servicing company, which continues in operation today. Over the past decade, Bronson served several terms of office on the SCMA board of directors and was elected its president on three separate occasions. In December 2006, Byron was presented with SCMA’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, for his extraordinary service and contributions to the Southern California recreational boating industry.
Bronson is survived by his son Joel, daughter Kelly and four grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, remembrance donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718, or a Trust Account for the Grandchildren of Byron Bronson. Donations to the Trust Account may be sent to the SCMA office at 1006 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, CA 92866.
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