Sonja Dee Bernier

Sonja Dee Bernier, 57, of Madison, AL passed away August 15, 2018.

 Sonja was born in Huntsville, AL.  As a child, she attended Holy Family Catholic School and Lee High School.  Sonja also attended Calhoun Community College and the University of Alabama at Huntsville, where she studies engineering, mathematics and computer science.  She attended St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Madison, AL.  Sonja was employed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center for 27 years as an Aero Space Engineer.  As a young girl at the of 12, she acquired a Huntsville Times paper route and was the first Huntsville Times female paper carrier.  She had the paper route for six years and delivered to 75-100 customers daily on her bike.  The nickname for her bike was “UGLY’.  After six years, the bike probably fit the name!  She was a God fearing, determined individual and worked all her life.  She finally began her NASA career at the age of 28.  People that worked with and for Sonja at NASA respected her because of her character, intellect and how she respected her fellow workers.  Her career was cut short due to health conditions. 

Sonja loved travelling with her family on vacations to the Great Smoky Mountains, Gulf Shores, AL, Florida and Michigan.  Disney World was her very favorite place to go.  And let’s not forget the outlet malls!  She loved rock hunting on the shores of Lake Michigan with the kids.  They would walk miles filling plastic buckets with stones, subsequently picking the prettiest ones to bring home.

Sonja was a person of great character at work and at home.  She never cut corners at work and ensured her job was done correctly.  She was trustworthy and honest.  She always instilled in her children to study hard and treat people as they would want to be treated.  Sonja was the kindest, most loving and caring individual you could ever meet, and she will be very sadly missed by all that knew her. 

Sonja loved animals and gave to several agencies like the ARK and the ASPCA.  She loved her Yorkie, “Prince William”, which was her buddy and companion for 13 years. 

She was a loving mother and wife, always ensuring that  her family was taken care of before herself.  Sonja is preceded in death by her mother Betty Dean Boles, her father Bill Boles, brother, John, and sister Margret.  She is survived by her husband, Michael Karl, Sr., daughter Catherine Elizabeth, son Michael Karl, Jr., sister Catherine Honey Chesser and nieces and nephews.