Walter "Wally" Sonntag

1936 - 2025

Walter M. Sonntag

1936-2025

Salt Lake City, Utah-Dr. Walter Maurice Sonntag passed away October 2, 2025, in Salt Lake City. He was born November 8, 1936, the first of four children born to Walter Alois and Lydia Maurine "Molly" Christensen Sonntag. He grew up in Salt Lake City and graduated from East High. Then, after completing undergraduate studies at the University of Utah, he attended medical school there. While studying in the medical school library, he met the lovely Diane Richards. They married in 1959.

After Wally completed medical training, he and Diane settled in Paradise, California, where they raised a family of seven children. As a distinguished ophthalmologist, Wally was dedicated to improving the sight of countless patients. He led the way in adopting new technologies and techniques in his field. The joy he found in helping to restore others' vision took him to Jerusalem where he freely offered his skills to both Jews and Palestinians. In Russia, he coordinated the distribution of a freight container of surplus medical equipment he gathered. Then, after his retirement, Wally and Diane traveled to Thailand, India and Jamaica to help further vision-related programs sponsored by the humanitarian arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They also served together as senior missionaries on Temple Square.

Wally loved books and the intellectual insight and stimulation they provided. This included seed catalogs. He collected and pored over them, fascinated by the varied types of garden vegetables. One year, he planted more than a dozen different kinds of winter squash alone.

After losing their home of over fifty years in the Paradise Camp Fire, Wally and Diane moved to Holladay where he enjoyed closer proximity to more of their family. Their children include Shari (Tad) Hurst, Julie (Byran) Blackham, Cathy (Richard) Mackay, Kim (Eric) Gillett, Wally (Carrie) Sonntag, Ron (Becky) Sonntag, and Ashley (Ian) Gilmore. Wally and Diane also have twenty-seven grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.

Wally will be remembered for his ability to connect one-on-one with others and his 100-watt smile. His warmth, wisdom, and gentle presence will be dearly missed.

In addition to Diane and their children, Wally is survived by his brother, John (Alberta) Sonntag, his sister, Maurine "Renie" Sonntag MacLean and sister-in-law, Norma Fallows Sonntag. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Arch Christian Sonntag, and his brother-in-law, Douglas MacLean.

The family is especially grateful to Tui, Noki, Leti and Pauline whose compassionate assistance allowed Wally to stay at home in his most advanced years.

A memorial service will be held at 12:30 pm on Saturday, October 11, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 4568 S. Holladay Blvd., Holladay, Utah.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Latter-day Saint Charities.