Obituary of Sonja Frances Payne
Sonja Frances Payne, 40 years old, was taken off life support on March 19, 2023 after organ recipients were found as her last act of giving in this life. She is survived by her parents, Harvey and Heidi Payne, siblings John Wesley (Sara) Payne and Linnea (Jeff) Payne De Lude, her children Max (Doris) Jacques and Hailey (Bradon Mayo, fiancé) Jacques, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and nieces.
Sonja was born in Denver, Colorado, and lived in in Greencastle, PA, Woodstock, CT, Columbia, SC, and most recently, her favorite town, Shippensburg, PA. She grew up mostly in Waynesboro, PA, and graduated from Waynesboro Area Senior High School (2001). Although her first desire as a child was to be president of the US, her love of people, helping them to feel honored and supported in the pursuit of their dreams, pointed her to a life of service as a social worker. Her love of people flowed out to everyone she met and provided support and encouragement with just a touch of bossiness regardless of who the person was.
She attended Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, England. She graduated from Shippensburg University with Bachelor of Social Work (2005) and Master of Social Work (2019) degrees. She was active in the National Association of Social Workers, PA Chapter, and presenting at national and international conferences. Her most recent position was the Community Health Mobilizer at Shippensburg Community Resource Coalition. She was recently the recipient of two awards in recognition of her commitment, dedication, and advocacy work for healthy communities in the Shippensburg and surrounding communities. Sonja received the Healthy Franklin County ‘Community Health Outstanding Young Professional Award’ and the Partnership for Better Health ‘Champion for Better Health Award’ in October 2022.
Sonja has a deep love for Jesus Christ and is the foundation of her life and service to others. She grew up and was baptized in Five Forks Brethren in Christ Church, Waynesboro. Sonja enjoyed reading and studying scripture and religious works, and all forms of Christian music. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Waynesboro, PA was currently her home church.
She loved to travel in the US and internationally, spend time with family and friends (everyone she met became a friend immediately), learn new crafts, her job at Shippensburg Community Resource Coalition, her coworkers, and the Shippensburg community.
Services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Friday, March 24, 2023 in the Auditorium at Five Forks Brethren in Christ Church, 9244 Five Forks Road, Waynesboro, PA with Pastor Drahus Oslik officiating. Burial will be private in Elmvale Cemetery in Woodstock, CT.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., Thursday evening, in the auditorium at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to: The Shippensburg Community Recourse Coalition, 206 E. Burd St., Shippensburg, PA, 17257.
Share a memory at www.smithandwalkerfh.com