Sonya Bergquist, 91, died on January 26, 2023 at the Center for Extended Care at Amherst after a long period of declining health.  Sonya was born in Orange, Massachusetts on August 13, 1931 to Oscar and Irene (Erikson) Anderson, and was soon joined by her younger siblings, Marcia and David. 

            Sonya thrived in the close-knit community of Orange and made friendships that lasted her lifetime.  After graduating from Orange High School, Sonya attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree, and the University of Michigan, where she earned a Master of Science degree, both in botany.

            During her summer in Orange between universities, Sonya was able to spend time with an old high school friend, Richard (Dick) Bergquist, and the two soon knew that they wanted to build their lives together.  Sonya and Dick married in 1954 and enjoyed a long, close, and happy partnership until Dick’s death in February 2019.

            After several moves in their early years of marriage, in 1959 Sonya and Dick bought a house in Amherst where they raised their four children, remaining in the same house for 60 years until Dick’s passing.  Sonya was a devoted mother who prized kindness, practicality and fair play.

            Once her children were partially grown, Sonya began her career as an educator by working for four years as a science aide in the Amherst Regional Junior High School.  She then became a biology teacher at the Amherst Regional High School, where she taught from 1973 to 1997.  Sonya also served as department chair of the combined Junior-Senior High Science Department for many of those years.  Sonya loved teaching and her students, and was presented with the Robert Frost Award for Teaching Excellence.

            Sonya was a lifelong learner who was always interested in listening to others’ views and discussing a variety of topics.  For many years, she served the community as a member of the Amherst Town Meeting and as a volunteer worker at elections.  Sonya enjoyed watching all kinds of sports, especially baseball, and attended thousands of games over her lifetime.  She was adept at both jigsaw and crossword puzzles. 

            Sonya and Dick loved spending time with family and friends, especially at their lake cottage at Beaver Lake in Ware, where hamburgers, horseshoes, swimming and an assortment of boats were enjoyed by all.

            Sonya and Dick enjoyed many good years in retirement, taking a number of international and domestic trips, and spending winters in Florida.  Sonya also took up golf in retirement, playing in Florida in the winters and at the Amherst Golf Club in the summers.

            A person of quiet and deep faith, Sonya grew up attending Bethany Lutheran Church in Orange and was a founding member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Amherst.

            With all her interests, Sonya’s deepest love was always for her family: her husband, their four children, and eventually their children’s spouses and their grandchildren.  Sonya was a grandma who played games, attended events, and sang with her grandchildren and enjoyed every minute.

            Sonya leaves her four children: Erica, Carl (wife Barbara), Craig, and Andrea (husband Marc), and her seven grandchildren: Eric, Peter and Diana Cajolet and Jenna, Andrew, Matthew, and Hannah Bergquist.  She also leaves her brother David (wife Marjorie), brother-in-law Clem, and her nieces and nephews.        Sonya was predeceased by her husband Dick, her parents, and her sister Marcia.

            The family wishes to thank those who devotedly cared for Sonya in her declining years: the staff of the Arbors at Amherst, Mag Home Care, Hospice of the Fisher Home, the Center for Extended Care at Amherst, and Cooley Dickinson VNA and Hospice.

            Calling hours for Sonya will be from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 16th at the Douglass Funeral Service, 87 North Pleasant Street, Amherst MA.

            Sonya’s funeral will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 17 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 867 North Pleasant Street, Amherst MA.,  followed by a reception at the church.

Donations in Sonya’s memory may be made to the Orange Scholarship Foundation (P.O. Box 298, Orange MA  01364) or to Hospice of the Fisher Home www.fisherhome.org