Sonja Lee (Koenig) Guillory

Apr 22, 1961 -

Dec 23, 2021

On Dec. 23, 2021, the school bell rang for the last time for Sonja Lee Guillory. She loved her students as much as teaching at Central Middle School where she taught science for the last 14 years. She was born on April 22, 1961, in Wisconsin, to Richard and Sandra Koenig. She spent her early years outdoors, with dogs and kittens, fishing, hiking and dissecting turtles and fish. She helped with gardening, and planting trees and learned ecology from watching her grandparents take care of their land. Her birthday is on Earth Day and her family will plant a tree in her memory. In 1972, she moved with family to Telluride, Colo., during middle school where she played sports, hiked mountains, skied and made lasting friends. In 1976, when moving to Anchorage, Alaska, she spent all her time on the ferry listening to the Forest Ranger explain glaciers, icebergs and sea life. She graduated from East High School and the University of Alaska Anchorage with a Masters in Science and Teaching. She met her husband, John Red Guillory, at the Petroleum Club and they were married on June 28, 1992. They moved to a ranch outside of Nacogdoches, Texas, and raised horses until 2011 ,when John passed away. Their son, Maxwell, was born in 2000, and he and Sonja moved into town in 2018.

Sonja was preceded in death by her husband, John Guillory; and grandparents. Survivors include her son, Maxwell Guillory; stepchildren, Angela Paige Scott and Cory Mier; parents, Richard and Nora Koenig, Wayne and Sandra Johnson; siblings, Steve (Linda) Koenig, Mike (Gina) Johnson, Mark Johnson, Jayne (Rick) Johnson; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and grandchildren.

A Celebration of life on her birthday, Friday, April 22, 2022, will be held at Clear Springs Restaurant in Nacogdoches for students, staff, friends and family from 5-9 p.m. Along with dinner, her favorite birthday cake, strawberry cheesecake, will be served.

The Memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church, Nacogdoches. Condolences may be sent to: Max Guillory, 3905 Colonial Drive, Nacogdoches, TX 75965. Donations in memory of Sonja Guillory can be sent to American Association of University Women, SFASU Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 6092, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962; or go online to www.sfasu.edu/give. Complete the online giving form, noting the same information.