Sonya Adkerson
Glen Carbon | Save
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.
Sonya is also survived by loving and grateful family, including daughter Donya Adkerson (George Ferguson), granddaughter Tiana Berry-Jones (Todd Jones), grandson Tommy Ferguson, great-grandson Luca Jones, brother Gordon “Butch” (Carmen) Abernathie, and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and her much-loved toy poodle, Harley. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Jessie (Seabaugh) Abernathie, and her sister, Jan (Bill) Fletcher.
Visitation will be at Irwin Chapel, 591 Glen Crossing Road in Glen Carbon on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life will be held at Irwin Chapel in Glen Carbon on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Those sharing in her Celebration of Life will have the opportunity to share their favorite memories of Sonya if they wish to, allowing all to leave with a little bit more of her than when they came in. Burial will follow at Buck Road Cemetery in Maryville. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association and may be accepted at the funeral chapel. www.irwinchapel.com.
Irwin Chapel Funeral Home
