Effie Ruth Sonnen

1931 - 2017

Effie Ruth Sonnen obituary, 1931-2017, Lake Jackson, TX

BORN

1931

DIED

2017

FUNERAL HOME

Restwood Funeral Home

1038 WEST PLANTATION DR

Clute, Texas

Effie Sonnen Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on May 25, 2017.

Effie Ruth Sonnen, 86, of Lake Jackson TX passed away on May 24, 2017. Effie was born to Tom and Gertrude Hammonds on April 8, 1931 in Angleton TX. Effie married Leroy Sonnen in Angleton, TX on May 27, 1949. Just before high school graduation on a special blind date, Effie met the love of her life, Leroy. They married on May 27th 1949 and were together in life, and in love until he passed away in 1988.
Effie served for 18 years as a Municipal Judge for the City of Oyster Creek. She was very creative and had many hobbies and skills. She was an avid reader throughout her life and an expert Scrabble player. She was an excellent cook, decorating beautiful cakes for weddings, anniversaries and birthdays for friends and loved ones. She was an outstanding seamstress and sewed for many. She was accomplished at oil painting, and loved to metal detect with her Mother. Effie and Leroy shared a passion for fishing and gardening. They spent many happy hours sharing the things they loved. And of course, her pride and joy was her grandsons Adam and Eli.
Effie is preceded in death by her husband Leroy and her parents Tom and Gertrude Hammonds.
Effie is survived by her son Tommy (Renee) Sonnen, daughter Lisa (Elliott) Clark, grandsons Eli (Annie) Clark, Adam (Stefanie) Clark and three great grandsons, Easton, Everett and Cannon. Sisters Margaret Turner, Tommie Jo (Johnye) Slaughter, brother Buddy (Billie Jean) Hammonds, brother-in-law, Carl Sonnen, and many nieces and nephews. Also, very special friends, Robert Vaughn, Lin and Johnny Richey, Patti and Tammi Schilhab, Mike and Gail Calcote and Gary and Sherri Hunter.
Graveside Services will be held at 10:30am on May 31, 2017 in Restwood Memorial Park, followed by a gathering to remember her life at 11:00am in Restwood Funeral Home.

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June 15, 2017

Billie Hammonds

Memories of Effie
My heart is so full of memories of Effie and I want to share a little of our story. I just wish that I had had the emotional stamina to talk at her service.
I remember the first time that I met Effie & Leroy; I was dating Buddy and he was taking me to Alvin to meet them. I was very young and so nervous. When he introduced me to them they both welcomed me with open arms and big smiles. They made me feel right at home. There was a close connection there that lasted 60 years. I think with me being so young Effie took me under her wing and finished raising me. She was my role model. I looked up to her. Buddy and I lived in Alvin after we married so we were at their house a lot. Effie would come get me and I would spend the day with her. We would do so much together such as laundry, grocery shop, fishing, etc.; where she went I went.
Back then there was a popular card game called Canasta; all four of us played this card game every chance we got. Bitsy and Arthur would also play with us a lot. We were so competitive with each other. During the day while the guys worked it was me, Effie and Bitsy playing Canasta. Fun times.
A lot of days after Effie got Lisa off to school we would go fishing. Tommy was just a small boy and Effie would tie one end of a rope around Tommy's waist and the other end around her waist just in case he fell into the water. I used to tell her Effie, you know that if he falls in you will go in after him and then I will go in also therefore we might all drown, she would laugh and say, well they can say we all went down doing what we loved to do. She always had snacks for us but sometimes we stayed longer than the snacks lasted and I know that more than once we would find an old tin can, build a little fire and boil some of our bait shrimp to eat. Those were the days.
I guess one of the most lasting memories that Effie and Leroy laughed about numerous times was what they called the midnight cruise. Leroy and Buddy had trot lines set out in Chocolate Bayou and they were going to check them at midnight. They invited me and Effie to go with them. This was a new adventure for me so I was excited to go. When we got there Leroy was placing us in the boat and Leroy placed me at the front of the boat; I thought, wow, I get to see everything without anyone blocking my view. What I didn't know was that whoever was in the front got to clear the way for everyone else by knocking down tree branches, huge spiders, etc. At one point during our ride down the dark and eerie bayou one of the guys had put a big gar fish in the back of the boat. Sometime later that gar fish got a second wind or life and started flopping around in the bottom of the boat making awful loud noises. I thought for sure that an alligator had got us. That was so scary, I think that I screamed most of the night while I entertained everyone else. They laughed so hard. After that Leroy would always ask me if I was ready to go set trot lines with them again, which I never did.
When Effie was admitted to the ICU unit this past year Pat and Lisa were discussing cruises among themselves and Effie looked over at me and said Bill, tell them about your midnight cruise. That was a memory that resonated for years. I could smile about it after the fact but at the time it was all panic on my part. But it's also a memory that I cherish.
Some of our most fun memories were the many trips that we and other family members and friends would take to Las Vegas. Anytime they ran a special on Las Vegas trips we were on board that plane off to another adventure. Effie and I would take our bucket of coins and walk the sidewalks going from casino to casino looking for the winning machine. Needless to say we never hit it big in money but immeasurable in memories.
When I married Buddy I totally adopted his entire family, they were the family that I never had. Effie and Leroy were very special to me and Buddy. As I stated earlier, Effie is someone I admired and looked up to from the first day I met her. She was the sister that I never had and I loved her dearly. I will miss her greatly but the heart prints she has left with me will live on forever.
Rest in peace Effie, I love you

June 8, 2017

Pat Campbell

It is difficult to put into words what is in my heart the love I have for my Aunts. They all contributed to a wonderful childhood. Aunt Effie made my homecoming dress, crocheted vest, and various wonderful cakes. She had the patience to take me fishing, and I learned that if you can't be quiet you will not catch fish! Hmmm I didn't catch many fish but I sure had fun. There is a treasured special doll that she made for either Vickye or me. We both vividly remember her making it. She either did not remember or would not tell us which one of us it was made for. We named her Susie and have both loved her over the years, She has left us to join Uncle Leroy but our memories will live on. RIP Love you!

May 31, 2017

Gary & Sherri Hunter

We will sorely miss Effie. We were just neighbors, but it was much more than that. Effie was the Mom I never had later in life. Effie was the person I could express my dearest respects for as a senior to the community. Effie watched my two Aussie's, Dixie and Lucy while I traveled abroad. And, you know what people say about pets. They know good people from bad, and every time I let them out the front door, they headed straight to Effie's house to say hello. Yes, we will miss you girl. But, now you get to watch over Dixie and Lucy forever and ever. We love you and miss you. Thank you Lisa and Tommy for letting us be a part of Effie's life and your's.

May 31, 2017

Rhonda Hammonds

My heart is full of love and memories as I write this for my dear Aunt Effie. I was blessed with the greatest aunts. As my mind wonders back to the summers I spent in Oyster Creek. It makes my heart smile with happiness, what a season that was. First of all, we were not leaving unless our seatbelt was buckled...that wasn't even a law back then.. but I didn't care, I knew the fun that was ahead, Aunt Effie and Uncle Leroy would take me fishing and of course that was serious business to them. One year Uncle Leroy loaded me up with a cane pole, (I think mainly to keep me out of their hair). It's kind of hard to mess up a cane pole and all you do is watch a cork) I loved it...and at one time my cork went down and at the other end was a big ole flounder. My sweet Aunt Effie was so proud and Uncle Leroy cut it up and took it home for my Daddy to cook. If it wasn't fishing, I was swimming in Oyster Creek (I don't think anyone does that anymore) but man it was a blast, Sometimes Lisa Kaye would pick me up, take me to a pool or the beach and even to feed stray cats. I believe Johnye Leigh (my cousin) started going up with me by then and that made it even more special. In the evening after dinner..it was on....Blue bell and Rummy!. Yes Aunt Effie was such a loving Aunt and I am so blessed to have known her and spend time with her. Thank you Aunt Effie for all the clothes you made for me or fixed for me Thank you for all the beautiful cakes. I love you and find comfort in knowing that you and Uncle Leroy are dancing (maybe fishing) in heaven again. Until we meet again. I love you Aunt Effie ❤

May 31, 2017

Eli Clark

There are many wonderful memories that I have of my grandmother over the years that I am so thankful for. It was a blessing to have grown up with my grandparents just down the street and to be able to visit them almost every day as the bus would drop us off at their house after school. I will always remember going into their house and having after school snacks, one of my favorite was the Swiss Cake rolls that granny always kept for me. I was also so amazed as to how good she was at watching/playing Wheel of Fortune. I was always astonished how quickly she was able to guess the puzzle, and I constantly thought that if she could get on the show as a contestant that she would, without a doubt, win that show.

I also thought it was so impressive that she was a municipal judge in Oyster Creek, and I loved going over to the courthouse and hang out with some of the officers there while she worked. I can still remember the time that she let one of them take Adam to the back for a little while and lock him up in one of the cells there, probably not something that she would get away with today.

But one of the most vivid memories that I have growing up on Elm Street was learning how to ride a bike. I felt so excited to take off the training wheels and show my grandmother how good I was doinguntil I woke up in her bathtub because at some point I had run into my uncle's truck that was parked in front of her house. Apparently my first ride without training wheels didn't end so well.

From all the times that we spent there in Oyster Creek and later at her house in Lake Jackson, I always looked forward to granny's cooking, typically for New Year's Day lunches. She would always try to get me to eat black eyed peas and cabbage, which I can now say that I do rather enjoy and will greatly miss her cooking.
After I left Lake Jackson it was always such a treat to come home and visit with her even if briefly. I know she was tremendously proud of my brother and me and any time we would see her friends they would say that she would beam about us.

I am so thankful that she got to see her great grandchildren grow for at least a little time. They love her so much and I hope she saw that the values that she and our parents instilled in us will be passed along to them.

I am also thankful that over these past few months my mom and uncle worked so hard to keep her as comfortable as possible and show constant love. I am so glad that she was able to be at her home when the time came, and while I am heartbroken to not be at her service, the one thing that gives me solace is to know that she is in heaven and making up for lost time with Poppa.

May 29, 2017

Billie Hammonds

Effie was a wonderful lady who always helped others. She was very talented. You could call her anytime if you needed something and she would be there for you. She was selfless. She was my best friend who in the end suffered and it would break my heart every time I would visit her. She is at peace now and I'm at peace with that. Effie has been the sister that I never had for almost 60 years. She has left a lot of heart prints with me and so many memories that will live on forever with the many people whose lives that she touched during her lifetime. I'm a very blessed person to have had the opportunity to have such a wonderful person and her family in my life.
I will miss her greatly. My love and prayers for her family. God Bless.
Rest in peace Effie. I love you.

May 29, 2017

Danny Daniels

Tommy, Renee, and Family. Was so sorry to hear of the passing of Mrs. Sonnen. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. God Bless!

Danny & Gayelyn Daniels
Lake Jackson, TX

May 29, 2017

RIP Miss Effie, I know you are happy to be back with your husband Leroy. I loved you very much.. Thoughts and prayers with your family! Raylene

May 27, 2017

Karen Lussier Tarr

RIP dear lady, you will be missed by so many. Tommy and Renee you are in my prayers and thoughts, much love and healing energy to you and your family

May 27, 2017

Effie was more than my Mother-in-law - she was a friend, confidant and a role model like none other - I will miss her laugh, her humor and her southern hospitality. She was a true genteel lady through and through! Now she is with Leroy forever!

May 27, 2017

Vickye Crain

Aunt Effie was a very special aunt. She did many special things for me in my life. I loved her very much and will miss her dearly. My love and prayers are with you all.

May 26, 2017

Lin & Johnny Richey

My dear friend will be remembered forever in my heart as the most kind, encouraging, and supporting friend anyone could ever have in their lifetime. She loved to challenge my mind in a game of scrabble or go to lunch at her favorite restaurants. I sincerely will miss our weekly talks and her love for Johnny and I through the years. She left a treasure chest full of memories and we will eventually have to accept her passing. Rest in peace my friend.

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