- Date Of Birth: March 3, 1919
- Date Of Death: May 23, 2019
- State: Michigan
Sonia (Korzin) Sanders of Midland, passed away on May 23, 2019, at 100 years old.
Sonia was born on March 3, 1919 in Chicago, Illinois, to the late Donna and Michael Korzin (Minsk, Belarus). She graduated from Kelly High School in 1937. Sonia was the loving wife of the late Raymond L. Sanders for 57 years.
She is survived by two daughters and their spouses, Nina and David Frurip (Midland MI), Lisa and James Lyles (Melrose MA); a sister, Tanya Burgeson Marzari; sister-in-law, Dotty Korzin; four granddaughters, Emily (Joseph) Wodark, Diana Frurip, Caroline (Joseph) Ring, and Irina Lyles; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Sonia and Ray raised their family in Chicago and South Holland, Illinois, and Birch Lake, Vandalia, Michigan. Sonia and Ray retired at age 62 to Ellenton, Florida for the colder months.
A consummate mother and homemaker, Sonia was an excellent cook and hostess, and a very talented seamstress. She made wedding dresses for her friends and family, sweet matching outfits for herself and young daughters, repurposed Navy Whites from her brothers into matching pedal pushers, sewed matching coats with fur trim, and dresses of all kinds, the list is endless. Her style was always on point.
Picking fruits and vegetables on farms and orchards near Birch Lake allowed Sonia to fill the extra freezer and always have something to cook. And cook she did. She always had a mixture of mason-jar meals at the ready. Her spaghetti sauce, pepper steak, chop suey, borscht, chicken soup, halupcee, and chili were staples. Holidays gatherings with family and friends were always an occasion to share her home and divine menus, which were always “to the nines” as Ray would say.
Sonia was the middle of nine children, growing up during the Depression. As a young girl, if lucky, she would earn a nickle, an apple, or nothing at all, by giving Marcel Waves to neighbor ladies. She had happy memories of taking a streetcar to the Aragon Ballroom with her sisters and girlfriends, telling stories of dancing in the street afterwards.
During WWII, Sonia did piece work at Crane Company, making steel valves for the U.S. Navy ships. Sonia had a gift, an energy that she embraced. Her hands could create anything and she found a 40 year career in the Chicago furrier trade (Sikora Furs, Evans, Carol Ware Furs at Bonwit Teller, and later, I. Magnim). Visits to the fur workrooms were eye opening experiences with giant scissors, beautifully colored silks, and furs of all kinds hanging from the ceiling. There were always twenty threaded needles at the machines, ready to whip up a rush-job.
Sonia’s spirited nature found great happiness in dancing with her husband, Ray. Beginning in their 50’s stretching into their 80’s, they danced at least three times a week, a favorite being the Quick-Step. They found kindred spirits in their teachers and classmates at Zavada’s Dance Studio, Calumet City and Ahkee’s Studio, FL.
Sonia had been a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Chicago, Grace Lutheran Church, South Holland, Hope Lutheran Church in Bradenton, FL, and St. Peters Lutheran Church in Three Rivers, MI. After her husband died, she spent half of the year with daughter Nina in Midland and the other half with daughter Lisa in Melrose, MA. Sonia enjoyed going out to lunch with friends, shopping at Younkers, Marshall’s and Walgreens, listening to Nina’s piano students’ lessons, attending dinner parties, listening to her Book Reader, attending church, playing lotto, playing bingo at the senior center every Friday , and reminiscing about the past.
She was most recently a resident at King’s Daughters Home, Midland, MI. We give our deepest gratitude to the loving and caring staff.
When it was explained to Mom that she had dementia and how it progresses, her characteristic reply was, “We shall see.” She was forever in charge.
Sonia’s parents would have friends over to their house and as the evening ended, they would repeat a Russian fable to their guests: “Thanks for sharing Kvass, another time we will have fish.” Mom, thank you for the ‘Kvass’ of life you lovingly gave to us. We will have fish when we see you again.
In addition to her husband, Sonia was preceded in death by three sisters and their spouses, Marie (Barney) Winiarski, Anne (Edward) Piotrowski, Olga (Edward) Petyko; four brothers, Michael (LaVerne) Korzin, Fred Korzin, John (Lori) Korzin, Walter Korzin; and sister-in-law, Lois (Samuel) Zuro.
