Obituary for Sonja K. Richie (Thomas)
Sonja K. Richie, 84, formerly of Shoemakersville, passed away at Maidencreek Place Assisted Living on September 4th . She was born on February 23, 1939 in Lewistown, PA. She was the daughter of the late Clair Thomas and Charlotte Coldren.
Sonja is survived by her three sons, Bill (Karen) of Mechanicsburg, PA; Bob (Wanda) of Landisville, PA; and Frank (Dee) of Dumfries, VA. Also surviving are grandchildren, Jennifer Smith, Brad Richie, Christopher Greenawalt, Amanda Miller, and Bryan Richie; and great-grandchildren, Lily, Becky, Carter, Charlotte, Cameron, Owen and Elliot. She is also survived by a sister, Sharon, of Milroy, PA and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Sonja was preceded in death by her husband, Carl; sisters, Joyce, Peggy, Jean, Connie; and brothers Sam and Larry.
Sonja attended school in Lewistown, but moved to Shamokin when she was 16, where she met her husband, Carl, to whom she was married for 64 years until his death on February 4, 2021. Sonja was a Cub Scout Den Mother for Pack 163, a former tax collector for the borough of Shoemakersville, a member of the Shoemakersville Jaycee Wives, and a long time beautician on Main Street in Shoemakersville.
Sonja was well known for her crafting and knitting and quilting. She produced many quilts through the years, some of them winning awards at the Reading Fair. The Richie family benefitted from Sonja's incredible baking skills, especially over the holidays when meals frequently ended with her legendary chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin pies. Unquestionably, though, her greatest joy was the time spent watching her three sons participate in sports at Hamburg Area High School. In retirement she and her husband Carl enjoyed spending time over the summer at their cottage on Big Gull Lake in Ontario, Canada. In the last few years she was blessed with seven great-grandchildren and just loved seeing photos and videos of them.
The family will have a private service and burial at a later date. Memorial contributions in honor of Sonja may be made to her church; Zion’s Church, 770 Zion Church Road, Hamburg, PA 19526.
Sonja is survived by her three sons, Bill (Karen) of Mechanicsburg, PA; Bob (Wanda) of Landisville, PA; and Frank (Dee) of Dumfries, VA. Also surviving are grandchildren, Jennifer Smith, Brad Richie, Christopher Greenawalt, Amanda Miller, and Bryan Richie; and great-grandchildren, Lily, Becky, Carter, Charlotte, Cameron, Owen and Elliot. She is also survived by a sister, Sharon, of Milroy, PA and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Sonja was preceded in death by her husband, Carl; sisters, Joyce, Peggy, Jean, Connie; and brothers Sam and Larry.
Sonja attended school in Lewistown, but moved to Shamokin when she was 16, where she met her husband, Carl, to whom she was married for 64 years until his death on February 4, 2021. Sonja was a Cub Scout Den Mother for Pack 163, a former tax collector for the borough of Shoemakersville, a member of the Shoemakersville Jaycee Wives, and a long time beautician on Main Street in Shoemakersville.
Sonja was well known for her crafting and knitting and quilting. She produced many quilts through the years, some of them winning awards at the Reading Fair. The Richie family benefitted from Sonja's incredible baking skills, especially over the holidays when meals frequently ended with her legendary chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin pies. Unquestionably, though, her greatest joy was the time spent watching her three sons participate in sports at Hamburg Area High School. In retirement she and her husband Carl enjoyed spending time over the summer at their cottage on Big Gull Lake in Ontario, Canada. In the last few years she was blessed with seven great-grandchildren and just loved seeing photos and videos of them.
The family will have a private service and burial at a later date. Memorial contributions in honor of Sonja may be made to her church; Zion’s Church, 770 Zion Church Road, Hamburg, PA 19526.