CHRISTIAN SONNE

SONNE--Christian R., died peacefully on March 22 of Alzheimer's and kidney failure, in the same house in Tuxedo Park, NY, where he grew up and lived most of his life. Chris received degrees from St. Paul's School, Yale, and the Columbia School of International Affairs. He was a Fulbright scholar in Germany. His professional career focused on investment banking, real estate development and forestry on properties he owned in Tuxedo, South Carolina and the Adirondacks. Chris was the expert on the history of Tuxedo and Tuxedo Park where he was the Town Historian and President of the Historical Society. He enjoyed hunting and hiking and was an Adirondack 46er and member of the Northeast 111 Club, summiting all the mountains therein over 4,000 feet. He gave his time and talents to numerous non-profit organizations, including the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, the Episcopal Diocese of New York, the American-Scandinavian Foundation, and the Vincent Mulford Foundation. He gave of his physical self as well, notably donating one of his kidneys to a son in 1995. After his death, his brain was donated to the Taub Institute at Columbia University for scientific research on Alzheimer's. He leaves his wife of 52 years, Sally, four children (Peter, Nick and Matt Sonne and Edie Sonne Hall), twelve grandchildren, and a sister, Sheila Pulling. A memorial service will take place at St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo Episcopal Church on Saturday, April 13, at 11am. Donations in his memory may be made to St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo Episcopal Church, PO Box 637, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987.