Sonya Hunter

Longtime Sacramento resident and state employee Sonya Elise Hunter died Feb. 17 in Portland, Oregon, after living with dementia for several years. She was 84.

Born July 30, 1941, in Minot, North Dakota, to Alma and Victor Strilcov, she spent the first 14 years of her life on a wheat farm near Max, North Dakota.

In 1955 the family moved to Olympia, Washington, where Sonya completed her high school education and met Stephen Jongeward, her future husband.

They lived in Yakima, Washington, for a year, then moved to Sacramento, California, where Sonya worked for the state of California as a stenographer, later promoting to staff analyst. She also completed an Associate of Arts degree at Sacramento City College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Studies at Sacramento State University.

After a divorce, Sonya to legally changed her last name to Hunter, a name she grew up being told was a translation of Strilcov, her family name.

After 37 years of state service, Sonya retired in 2006.

She enjoyed gardening, reading and designing lost wax jewelry and the company of dear family and friends in her retirement before moving to Portland to be near her sister Susie Adams in 2021.

Sonya was preceded in death by her parents, Alma and Victor Strilcov; her sister Sandy McCroskey and brother John Strilcov. She is survived by her brother, Kevin Strilcov and his wife, Judy Berrian; her sisters Holly Wierman and Susie Adams, husband, Dan, as well as nephew Joshua Adams and nieces Hannah Adams and Cassie Wierman.

No memorial service is planned. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) or Women Escaping a Violent Environment (WEAVE) in Sacramento, California. Donations also may be made to Adventist Health Portland Hospice.