Sonya J. Adkerson of Glen Carbon, age 84, was set free from the prison of Alzheimer's disease in the early morning hours of February 7, 2023.
Sonya had a passion for helping others. From working with the Mississippi River Festival Crisis Team and the SIUE Rape and Sexual Abuse Care Center to spearheading the Maryville Baptist Church Free Yard Giveaway to training youth to be peer counselors in the Empathy Club at Granite City High School where she spent most of her career, Sonya was a tireless volunteer in these and many, many other pursuits. As a child of two Baptist preachers, she remained active in the church at Calvary Baptist in Edwardsville from 1964 through 1986, then at First Baptist Church in Maryville where she served as a pianist, choir director, and counselor.
Professionally, Sonya was devoted to serving youth through education. She began her own college career at age 16 and graduated with honors at age 19, then began teaching high school. She went on to earn multiple Masters degrees as she transitioned from teaching to school counseling to school administration over the years. She was the first female assistant principal at GCHS. She learned sign language to better communicate with her deaf students there. After retiring from the public school system, she went on to work another decade at Coordinated Youth.
She is survived by her beloved husband, Edwin Dwayne Adkerson. Though they married just three months after meeting, this month marked their 63rd wedding anniversary. Sonya and Dwayne loved traveling on their motorcycle, going to 49 states and throughout Canada on their bike. They often traveled with friends and family on their many adventures.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Jessie (Seabaugh) Abernathie, and her sister, Jan (Bill) Fletcher.
Burial at Buck Road Cemetery in Maryville.
Sonya had a passion for helping others. From working with the Mississippi River Festival Crisis Team and the SIUE Rape and Sexual Abuse Care Center to spearheading the Maryville Baptist Church Free Yard Giveaway to training youth to be peer counselors in the Empathy Club at Granite City High School where she spent most of her career, Sonya was a tireless volunteer in these and many, many other pursuits. As a child of two Baptist preachers, she remained active in the church at Calvary Baptist in Edwardsville from 1964 through 1986, then at First Baptist Church in Maryville where she served as a pianist, choir director, and counselor.
Professionally, Sonya was devoted to serving youth through education. She began her own college career at age 16 and graduated with honors at age 19, then began teaching high school. She went on to earn multiple Masters degrees as she transitioned from teaching to school counseling to school administration over the years. She was the first female assistant principal at GCHS. She learned sign language to better communicate with her deaf students there. After retiring from the public school system, she went on to work another decade at Coordinated Youth.
She is survived by her beloved husband, Edwin Dwayne Adkerson. Though they married just three months after meeting, this month marked their 63rd wedding anniversary. Sonya and Dwayne loved traveling on their motorcycle, going to 49 states and throughout Canada on their bike. They often traveled with friends and family on their many adventures.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Jessie (Seabaugh) Abernathie, and her sister, Jan (Bill) Fletcher.
Burial at Buck Road Cemetery in Maryville.
Sonya J. Adkerson of Glen Carbon, age 84, was set free from the prison of Alzheimer's disease in the early morning hours of February 7, 2023.
Sonya had a passion for helping others. From working with the Mississippi River Festival Crisis Team and the SIUE Rape and Sexual Abuse Care Center to spearheading the Maryville Baptist Church Free Yard Giveaway to training youth to be peer counselors in the Empathy Club at Granite City High School where she spent most of her career, Sonya was a tireless volunteer in these and many, many other pursuits. As a child of two Baptist preachers, she remained active in the church at Calvary Baptist in Edwardsville from 1964 through 1986, then at First Baptist Church in Maryville where she served as a pianist, choir director, and counselor.
Professionally, Sonya was devoted to serving youth through education. She began her own college career at age 16 and graduated with honors at age 19, then began teaching high school. She went on to earn multiple Masters degrees as she transitioned from teaching to school counseling to school administration over the years. She was the first female assistant principal at GCHS. She learned sign language to better communicate with her deaf students there. After retiring from the public school system, she went on to work another decade at Coordinated Youth.
She is survived by her beloved husband, Edwin Dwayne Adkerson. Though they married just three months after meeting, this month marked their 63rd wedding anniversary. Sonya and Dwayne loved traveling on their motorcycle, going to 49 states and throughout Canada on their bike. They often traveled with friends and family on their many adventures.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Jessie (Seabaugh) Abernathie, and her sister, Jan (Bill) Fletcher.
Burial at Buck Road Cemetery in Maryville.
Sonya had a passion for helping others. From working with the Mississippi River Festival Crisis Team and the SIUE Rape and Sexual Abuse Care Center to spearheading the Maryville Baptist Church Free Yard Giveaway to training youth to be peer counselors in the Empathy Club at Granite City High School where she spent most of her career, Sonya was a tireless volunteer in these and many, many other pursuits. As a child of two Baptist preachers, she remained active in the church at Calvary Baptist in Edwardsville from 1964 through 1986, then at First Baptist Church in Maryville where she served as a pianist, choir director, and counselor.
Professionally, Sonya was devoted to serving youth through education. She began her own college career at age 16 and graduated with honors at age 19, then began teaching high school. She went on to earn multiple Masters degrees as she transitioned from teaching to school counseling to school administration over the years. She was the first female assistant principal at GCHS. She learned sign language to better communicate with her deaf students there. After retiring from the public school system, she went on to work another decade at Coordinated Youth.
She is survived by her beloved husband, Edwin Dwayne Adkerson. Though they married just three months after meeting, this month marked their 63rd wedding anniversary. Sonya and Dwayne loved traveling on their motorcycle, going to 49 states and throughout Canada on their bike. They often traveled with friends and family on their many adventures.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Jessie (Seabaugh) Abernathie, and her sister, Jan (Bill) Fletcher.
Burial at Buck Road Cemetery in Maryville.
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