On February 22, a cold and sunny afternoon, Sonja Johnson passed away peacefully after a long illness.
Sonja Clare Herried was born on December 28, 1936 in Viroqua, WI. Her family moved to LaCrosse where Sonnie attended school and graduated from Logan High School in 1955. She met David Johnson while attending UW-Eau Claire and they were married on December 22, 1956. In 1963 they moved to Menomonie, bought a home on Tainter Lake, and raised their family. She and Dave were married for nearly 57 years.
Sonnie earned a degree in Elementary Education from UW-Eau Claire. She taught grades one through eight in a one room school in Augusta and sixth grade in Elk Mound. She was the high school librarian at Menomonie High School for nearly twenty years. In this role, she was well known for her humor, strength and ability to influence the students in their studies and high school life. She earned her Master’s Degree from UW-Stout about that time when media and technology was beginning to emerge.
Sonnie’s love of reading was a lifelong hobby and she inspired many readers. She enjoyed making frequent trips to the bookstore with her grandchildren as well as taking the neighborhood children to the book store on their birthdays. A second love was traveling and reading the history and points of interests wherever she went. She and Dave traveled to 49 of the 50 states in their truck camper, as well as several fishing trips to Canada. Their favorite trip was to Yellowstone, traveling there nine times. In 2007, she traveled to Edinburgh and London with her daughter and grandchildren, a dream come true as she enjoyed the history of the British monarchy.
In all the ways Sonnie loved and lived her life, her greatest love was friends and family. She was a spirited redhead with lots of personality and had many wonderful adventures and moments with her friends. She loved to cook and all who entered her house, camper or cabin never left hungry. She belonged to the Red Hat Society and a group of ladies who went on yearly golf trips. With her friends and family she enjoyed shopping, lunching, camping, fishing, snowmobiling, and pontooning along with campfires and fireworks at the cabin. Later, her world revolved around the lives of her three grandchildren. She took each of the three on a train trip to Chicago when they were twelve years old to visit museums and experience Chicago cuisine. Her role of Grandma took her to River Falls almost weekly to attend a recital, concert or athletic event of her grandchildren.
Sonnie was very active in her retirement in service and social organizations. She and Dave delivered Meals on Wheels and were busy with the Masonic Lodge and The Mehara Shrine. As a member of Literacy Volunteers of America, she visited the Dunn County Jail, helping inmates improve their reading skills. A favorite activity was helping incarcerated parents read and record a children’s book to be given to the family. She was also a charter member of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, a member of the Menomonie United Methodist Church, Eau Claire Shrine Auxiliary, Delta Kappa Gamma, PEO, Learning in Retirement, Retired Teachers of Dunn County, WEA and NEA.
Sonnie will be remembered for her smile, her big heart and her love of the Green Bay Packers. She is survived by her daughter Jane (Dan) Webb of River Falls and her son Steve Johnson of Menomonie. She also is survived by three grandchildren, David Webb of Clarksville, TN, Kaitlin (Josh) Bauer of Charleston SC and Mitch Webb of River Falls and one sister, Barbara Oestriech of Hudson. Her family also includes six nieces and nephews and several great nieces and nephews, and many, many friends.
Sonnie was preceded in death by her husband David and parents Leslie and Elizabeth (Gibson) Herried.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 2, 2015 at the United Methodist Church in Menomonie, with Pastor Wendy Slaback officiating. There will be visitation from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at Olson Funeral Home in Menomonie and at the church one hour prior to the service on Monday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Menomonie.
Sonja Clare Herried was born on December 28, 1936 in Viroqua, WI. Her family moved to LaCrosse where Sonnie attended school and graduated from Logan High School in 1955. She met David Johnson while attending UW-Eau Claire and they were married on December 22, 1956. In 1963 they moved to Menomonie, bought a home on Tainter Lake, and raised their family. She and Dave were married for nearly 57 years.
Sonnie earned a degree in Elementary Education from UW-Eau Claire. She taught grades one through eight in a one room school in Augusta and sixth grade in Elk Mound. She was the high school librarian at Menomonie High School for nearly twenty years. In this role, she was well known for her humor, strength and ability to influence the students in their studies and high school life. She earned her Master’s Degree from UW-Stout about that time when media and technology was beginning to emerge.
Sonnie’s love of reading was a lifelong hobby and she inspired many readers. She enjoyed making frequent trips to the bookstore with her grandchildren as well as taking the neighborhood children to the book store on their birthdays. A second love was traveling and reading the history and points of interests wherever she went. She and Dave traveled to 49 of the 50 states in their truck camper, as well as several fishing trips to Canada. Their favorite trip was to Yellowstone, traveling there nine times. In 2007, she traveled to Edinburgh and London with her daughter and grandchildren, a dream come true as she enjoyed the history of the British monarchy.
In all the ways Sonnie loved and lived her life, her greatest love was friends and family. She was a spirited redhead with lots of personality and had many wonderful adventures and moments with her friends. She loved to cook and all who entered her house, camper or cabin never left hungry. She belonged to the Red Hat Society and a group of ladies who went on yearly golf trips. With her friends and family she enjoyed shopping, lunching, camping, fishing, snowmobiling, and pontooning along with campfires and fireworks at the cabin. Later, her world revolved around the lives of her three grandchildren. She took each of the three on a train trip to Chicago when they were twelve years old to visit museums and experience Chicago cuisine. Her role of Grandma took her to River Falls almost weekly to attend a recital, concert or athletic event of her grandchildren.
Sonnie was very active in her retirement in service and social organizations. She and Dave delivered Meals on Wheels and were busy with the Masonic Lodge and The Mehara Shrine. As a member of Literacy Volunteers of America, she visited the Dunn County Jail, helping inmates improve their reading skills. A favorite activity was helping incarcerated parents read and record a children’s book to be given to the family. She was also a charter member of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, a member of the Menomonie United Methodist Church, Eau Claire Shrine Auxiliary, Delta Kappa Gamma, PEO, Learning in Retirement, Retired Teachers of Dunn County, WEA and NEA.
Sonnie will be remembered for her smile, her big heart and her love of the Green Bay Packers. She is survived by her daughter Jane (Dan) Webb of River Falls and her son Steve Johnson of Menomonie. She also is survived by three grandchildren, David Webb of Clarksville, TN, Kaitlin (Josh) Bauer of Charleston SC and Mitch Webb of River Falls and one sister, Barbara Oestriech of Hudson. Her family also includes six nieces and nephews and several great nieces and nephews, and many, many friends.
Sonnie was preceded in death by her husband David and parents Leslie and Elizabeth (Gibson) Herried.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 2, 2015 at the United Methodist Church in Menomonie, with Pastor Wendy Slaback officiating. There will be visitation from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at Olson Funeral Home in Menomonie and at the church one hour prior to the service on Monday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Menomonie.
On February 22, a cold and sunny afternoon, Sonja Johnson passed away peacefully after a long illness.
Sonja Clare Herried was born on December 28, 1936 in Viroqua, WI. Her family moved to LaCrosse where Sonnie attended school and graduated from Logan High School in 1955. She met David Johnson while attending UW-Eau Claire and they were married on December 22, 1956. In 1963 they moved to Menomonie, bought a home on Tainter Lake, and raised their family. She and Dave were married for nearly 57 years.
Sonnie earned a degree in Elementary Education from UW-Eau Claire. She taught grades one through eight in a one room school in Augusta and sixth grade in Elk Mound. She was the high school librarian at Menomonie High School for nearly twenty years. In this role, she was well known for her humor, strength and ability to influence the students in their studies and high school life. She earned her Master’s Degree from UW-Stout about that time when media and technology was beginning to emerge.
Sonnie’s love of reading was a lifelong hobby and she inspired many readers. She enjoyed making frequent trips to the bookstore with her grandchildren as well as taking the neighborhood children to the book store on their birthdays. A second love was traveling and reading the history and points of interests wherever she went. She and Dave traveled to 49 of the 50 states in their truck camper, as well as several fishing trips to Canada. Their favorite trip was to Yellowstone, traveling there nine times. In 2007, she traveled to Edinburgh and London with her daughter and grandchildren, a dream come true as she enjoyed the history of the British monarchy.
In all the ways Sonnie loved and lived her life, her greatest love was friends and family. She was a spirited redhead with lots of personality and had many wonderful adventures and moments with her friends. She loved to cook and all who entered her house, camper or cabin never left hungry. She belonged to the Red Hat Society and a group of ladies who went on yearly golf trips. With her friends and family she enjoyed shopping, lunching, camping, fishing, snowmobiling, and pontooning along with campfires and fireworks at the cabin. Later, her world revolved around the lives of her three grandchildren. She took each of the three on a train trip to Chicago when they were twelve years old to visit museums and experience Chicago cuisine. Her role of Grandma took her to River Falls almost weekly to attend a recital, concert or athletic event of her grandchildren.
Sonnie was very active in her retirement in service and social organizations. She and Dave delivered Meals on Wheels and were busy with the Masonic Lodge and The Mehara Shrine. As a member of Literacy Volunteers of America, she visited the Dunn County Jail, helping inmates improve their reading skills. A favorite activity was helping incarcerated parents read and record a children’s book to be given to the family. She was also a charter member of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, a member of the Menomonie United Methodist Church, Eau Claire Shrine Auxiliary, Delta Kappa Gamma, PEO, Learning in Retirement, Retired Teachers of Dunn County, WEA and NEA.
Sonnie will be remembered for her smile, her big heart and her love of the Green Bay Packers. She is survived by her daughter Jane (Dan) Webb of River Falls and her son Steve Johnson of Menomonie. She also is survived by three grandchildren, David Webb of Clarksville, TN, Kaitlin (Josh) Bauer of Charleston SC and Mitch Webb of River Falls and one sister, Barbara Oestriech of Hudson. Her family also includes six nieces and nephews and several great nieces and nephews, and many, many friends.
Sonnie was preceded in death by her husband David and parents Leslie and Elizabeth (Gibson) Herried.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 2, 2015 at the United Methodist Church in Menomonie, with Pastor Wendy Slaback officiating. There will be visitation from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at Olson Funeral Home in Menomonie and at the church one hour prior to the service on Monday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Menomonie.
Sonja Clare Herried was born on December 28, 1936 in Viroqua, WI. Her family moved to LaCrosse where Sonnie attended school and graduated from Logan High School in 1955. She met David Johnson while attending UW-Eau Claire and they were married on December 22, 1956. In 1963 they moved to Menomonie, bought a home on Tainter Lake, and raised their family. She and Dave were married for nearly 57 years.
Sonnie earned a degree in Elementary Education from UW-Eau Claire. She taught grades one through eight in a one room school in Augusta and sixth grade in Elk Mound. She was the high school librarian at Menomonie High School for nearly twenty years. In this role, she was well known for her humor, strength and ability to influence the students in their studies and high school life. She earned her Master’s Degree from UW-Stout about that time when media and technology was beginning to emerge.
Sonnie’s love of reading was a lifelong hobby and she inspired many readers. She enjoyed making frequent trips to the bookstore with her grandchildren as well as taking the neighborhood children to the book store on their birthdays. A second love was traveling and reading the history and points of interests wherever she went. She and Dave traveled to 49 of the 50 states in their truck camper, as well as several fishing trips to Canada. Their favorite trip was to Yellowstone, traveling there nine times. In 2007, she traveled to Edinburgh and London with her daughter and grandchildren, a dream come true as she enjoyed the history of the British monarchy.
In all the ways Sonnie loved and lived her life, her greatest love was friends and family. She was a spirited redhead with lots of personality and had many wonderful adventures and moments with her friends. She loved to cook and all who entered her house, camper or cabin never left hungry. She belonged to the Red Hat Society and a group of ladies who went on yearly golf trips. With her friends and family she enjoyed shopping, lunching, camping, fishing, snowmobiling, and pontooning along with campfires and fireworks at the cabin. Later, her world revolved around the lives of her three grandchildren. She took each of the three on a train trip to Chicago when they were twelve years old to visit museums and experience Chicago cuisine. Her role of Grandma took her to River Falls almost weekly to attend a recital, concert or athletic event of her grandchildren.
Sonnie was very active in her retirement in service and social organizations. She and Dave delivered Meals on Wheels and were busy with the Masonic Lodge and The Mehara Shrine. As a member of Literacy Volunteers of America, she visited the Dunn County Jail, helping inmates improve their reading skills. A favorite activity was helping incarcerated parents read and record a children’s book to be given to the family. She was also a charter member of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, a member of the Menomonie United Methodist Church, Eau Claire Shrine Auxiliary, Delta Kappa Gamma, PEO, Learning in Retirement, Retired Teachers of Dunn County, WEA and NEA.
Sonnie will be remembered for her smile, her big heart and her love of the Green Bay Packers. She is survived by her daughter Jane (Dan) Webb of River Falls and her son Steve Johnson of Menomonie. She also is survived by three grandchildren, David Webb of Clarksville, TN, Kaitlin (Josh) Bauer of Charleston SC and Mitch Webb of River Falls and one sister, Barbara Oestriech of Hudson. Her family also includes six nieces and nephews and several great nieces and nephews, and many, many friends.
Sonnie was preceded in death by her husband David and parents Leslie and Elizabeth (Gibson) Herried.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 2, 2015 at the United Methodist Church in Menomonie, with Pastor Wendy Slaback officiating. There will be visitation from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at Olson Funeral Home in Menomonie and at the church one hour prior to the service on Monday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Menomonie.
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