Sondra May Shryock

1949 - 2025

Sondra May (Owen) Shryock

February 14, 1949 - November 3, 2025

Boise, Idaho - Sondra was born on February 14th, 1949, to Roger Owen and Lula (Rathbone) Owen, both from Southwestern Idaho. The third of six children, she was their first daughter. Sondra helped care for her younger siblings.

Sondra grew up and attended school in the vicinity of Meridian. She chose Idaho State University, in Pocatello, for her Associate (1970) and Bachelors (1971) in dental hygiene. She loved her career and practiced for forty years in Idaho and Alaska. Sondra genuinely cared for her patients and excelled in her profession. In Alaska, she served on the Alaskan Board of Dental Examiners.

She married fellow student Arnold Shryock on October 30th, 1971. They had two children born in McCall: Abraham Lee (1975) and Erica Topaz (1977).

Sondra came to embrace moves to new and different places. After marriage, they resided in Burley, Boise, and McCall. When recruited by an Alaskan dentist, she moved to Alaska where they lived for 25 years. She enjoyed living in Fairbanks and Palmer but for most her Alaskan years, the small seafaring community of Kodiak was their home. Always the outdoor girl, Sondra enjoyed family hikes through the island's mossy rainforests and its mountaintop wildflower meadows. Her other interests included gardening, fishing, sewing, beach combing, camping, and cooking. Sondra enjoyed traveling. Highlights were spring break trips to exotic destinations in the U.S. and Mexico. A favorite trip was through China guided by close family friends.

Late in life, Sondra developed two challenging chronic illnesses that affected her work and mobility. She held a good attitude in the face of these challenges. Remembering her roots and wishing to be near family, she and her husband moved close to where she grew up. Always an avid reader holding strong interest in health journals, she would deal with her illnesses proactively. Reaching out, she found local-supportive activities such as Parkinson's Dance in Boise and Aquatic Zumba in Nampa.

Her home in the Treasure Valley was a magnet for family; her children found flying-in easy for extended family get-togethers. She absolutely loved being a mother; providing much love and support. Want to find a picture of Sondra with a broad smile? Look to her photos with children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and their children.

She is survived by her husband, Arnold Shryock (Nampa, Idaho); her children Abe Shryock (Seattle area), E. Topaz Shryock (Osterhout) and her husband Colin Osterhout (Juneau, Alaska); her grandchildren Liam and Winter Osterhout; her siblings Dale Owen, Linda Tilley, Randy Owen and Vicki Hine; along with 12 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roger and Lula Owen, brother Douglas Owen and his wife, Jackie. She will be dearly missed.