Sonja Bay

1923 - 2025

Sonja Bay
Sonja Bay passed away peacefully on July 31, 2025 at the age of 102. Born in the Netherlands, Sonja bravely escaped Nazi Germany, embarking on a journey that would ultimately lead her to the United States. In New York City, she met the love of her life, Stephen Bay, a recent émigré from Hungary. They married and settled in Norwalk, Connecticut, making lifelong friends in a small community of mid-century modern homes. Although the couple never had any children of their own, the neighborhood children and wandering feline visitors were embraced and warmly welcomed at the Bay house.
Resuming their lives from post war Europe, both studied at Columbia University; Sonja earning a BS in 1967, her Library Service degree in 1969 and Stephen his LS and Master of Science in 1972. Their love for books and playful use of language was evident in the many stories they wrote and illustrated about their cats, Mr. Nose, Mothercat, Tiny Tim, and Filmstar intermixed with the adventures of the children in their neighborhood.
Sonja built a remarkable career as a librarian for Yale University. Her dedication to the arts and culture led her to work with the prestigious Guggenheim Museum. In her work, she was able to draw upon her fluency in many languages; English being her third or fourth language and Dutch, her native tongue. In her later years, she devoted much of her time to volunteering at the Jewish Museum in New York City. She also loved animals and would never miss a chance to stop and pet a kitty or a dog.
After Stephen's death in the 1986, Sonja relocated to New York, the city she cherished, where she continued to thrive for nearly 40 years. In the last 5 years she was able to stay in her beloved apartment with the support of her caretakers, Catherine and Jaime. Thanks to their unwavering assistance, she was able to stay in her home until shortly before her death.
She was also passionate about travel, visiting many countries around the world, but it was her many trips to Africa that held a special place in her heart. Sonja's adventurous spirit saw her volunteering into her 90s and returning to Africa in her early 90's, a testament to her zest for life. She cherished every opportunity to explore, learn, and connect with people from all walks of life.
Sonja often traveled back to Connecticut to spend the holidays and reunite with the Maurborgne family of Westport and the Harris family of Norwalk. Sonja Bay will be deeply missed by friends, and all those whose lives she touched with her kindness, wisdom, and passion for knowledge.