Sonja Stalions

Larry Stalions; Lesa Afseth/Wooton, Nada Afseth/Gross, and Theron Afseth, husband and three children of Sonja Stalions, wish to notify friends of her peaceful passing in her home on July 30th, 2025. She was born November 1, 1937, to generous and loving parents, now deceased – Casper and Ruth Oimoen, and her guardian angel sister Delores who died at the tender age of 21.

The Following is Sonja's Personally Written Obituary

My sister and I were first generation Norwegian-Americans in our paternal lineage, and had many American Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers in our maternal lineage. I was born in Anaconda, Montana, where our family lived until 1946 when we moved to Minot, North Dakota. During the late ‘50’s while obtaining my college Bachelor of Arts degree from Minot State University, I was a reporter/feature writer for the local newspaper. I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota following my first marriage in 1959.

My celebrations in life were abundant. I thank my soul-mate Larry for pledging to “Grow Old Along With Me”. A kind and inclusive man, he and I would have celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary on November 30th. We shared more than 28 years in a significant/accepting marriage! In my mid-life, I had the awesome experience of being the proud/beloved parent of Lesa, Nada and Theron, participating in their journeys of birth, youth, college, careers, marriage and family. Thank you, dear progeny – I always revered our sojourn.

More recently I experienced the privilege of being: a doting and oft beloved grandmother of Nada and John Gross’s daughter Skylar, Theron and Kim’s daughters Hali and Mikyla, Lesa’s daughters Lindsey and her husband Brendon Williams, Christina and Ryon Campbell and great-grandmother to their children Ryon, Rory and Rolo, Mikayla and her husband Ethan Tilden and great-grandmother to their child Maddox, and Natalie and her husband Brady Bentley. I also enjoyed being an accepted/loved step-parent of Larry’s sons Mike, his wife Heather and step-grandmother to Haley, Alexa and Noah. And, Gary, his wife Georgia and step-grandmother to their children Andrew, Brooke and her husband Matthew Madonia and step-great-grandmother to their child Asher, and Spencer and his wife Sarah. Larry and I made many trips up and down Interstate-5 to glory in their watermark events. I am also survived by my maternal cousin Lynda Downing of Boise, Idaho and several paternal second cousins/families in Norway.

My 25 year vocation as an elementary teacher, 24 of which were with Ashland School District, was exhilaratingly eventful. Those 500+ kindergarten, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students enriched my life. Our school principal encouraged me to facilitate classroom integration of curriculum – providing my students with many opportunities in the process approach to learning rather than the product approach of over-testing.

As an Ashland/Medford resident since 1963, I enjoyed serving and relaxing in the Rogue Valley community. An avid skier, I served on the steering committee for the 1992 Mt. Ashland New Beginnings endeavor; an ardent supporter of the arts, I was a board member of Britt Music Festival in the late ‘80’s and was a 10-year member of Oregon Shakespearean Festival’s Tudor Guild; aware of local youths’ developmental disabilities, Larry and I were longtime members of the Rogue Valley Street Rods, participating in its annual charity car show for local handicapped children; a proponent of women’s educational advancement, I graduated with an Masters degree from Southern Oregon University in 1986, was a 54 year member of P.E.O., and more recently was a member of Fortnightly Study Club; a believer in God’s presence in our daily lives, I was a member of the Presbyterian Church; and a wanna-be writer, I was a published author. For relaxation I was a life-long gardener, reader, traveler, and winter sports enthusiast. In more recent years I became involved in genealogical research, playing Bridge and cruising with Larry in our 1955 Chevy.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date and will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Ashland.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Oregon EE, P.E.O. Memorial Endowment Fund c/o SOU Foundation 1250 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520