Sonya Curlile

   Sonya Marie Curlile was born to Wayne and Velaine (Yeck) Curlile on August 4th, 1962, in Fairfax, Missouri. She was baptized in the Northboro Methodist Church and confirmed in 1977, at the Manning Iowa United Methodist Church.

   At six years of age, Sonya started school and attended a one-room classroom in a country school at Carroll, Iowa. She liked school and Mrs. Loeschen was a dedicated and caring teacher. Next, Sonya’s classes were held in a small house close to Manning Community Schools and Mrs. Peterson was her teacher. In the Manning school building, Sonya’s loving and caring teachers, Dode Mick and Mike Beaman, provided her education until she graduated from Manning High School in 1981. While in high school, Sonya participated in the Special Olympics earning gold medals in swimming.

   After graduation, Sonya attended Career Opportunities Center in Emmetsburg, Iowa, and learned how to do a variety of jobs. In 1983, Sonya became an employee of WESCO in Denison, Iowa, where she enjoyed employment working on a cleaning crew, sorting and assembling for various contractors and also McDonald’s. She lived independently for 16 years and then moved into a group home.

   Sonya enjoyed good health and was a happy young adult. She was very independent and did things her own way and at her own pace. She participated in Special Olympics in the areas of bowling and bocce ball. Sonya loved music, singing and dancing. She was Cynthia’s best Polka partner! She was a LOYAL Nebraska Huskers fan. Her sister took her to several football games in Lincoln.  Sonya never could understand why Bo Pelini was let go. After all, he was easy on the eyes and had a winning record!

     Although Sonya was born facing numerous challenges, she realized many personal goals. At the top of her goal list was to swim with the dolphins in Florida. She went and she had a glorious time. She adored her niece and nephews and loved caring for them when they were babies. She was a great helper. She was so proud of their accomplishments. She also adored her great nieces and nephews and got extremely excited every time there was a new birth announcement.

   After a period of poor health, Sonya moved to Accura Healthcare of Manning in August of 2021. The staff loved Sonya as she brought humor and brightness to their days. The staff took extra care doing her hair in special ways and painting her fingernails. She loved Bingo and was super excited to yell “BINGO”, when she won. Sonya then moved to Accura Healthcare of Carroll for a short while where she left this world and entered into our Lord Jesus’ Kingdom, on Tuesday, December 12, 2023.  She was 61 years young.

   Sonya was preceded in death by her grandparents, her older sister Edith Kay, her younger brother Jay and her great nephew Gibson.

   She is survived by her parents Wayne and Velaine Curlile and sister Cynthia and her fiance Jeff Bauer, all of Manning, Iowa; her niece Angela Wagoner, husband Aaron and daughters Adalyn and Anabelle of Crete, Nebraska; her nephew Andrew Lapel, wife Chandran and their daughters Landry, Laine and Larkin of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; her nephew Joseph Lapel, Peyton Lapel and sons Cavan and Nels of Waukon, Iowa; nephew Jordan Lapel, wife Hillary and their son, Jordan Junior of Nevada, Iowa.

    She is also survived by her Aunt Carol Swanson of Denison, Iowa, her Aunt Irma Wanitschke of Derby, Kansas, her Aunt Donna and Uncle Ron Crosby of Broomfield, Colorado, her Uncle Bud Yeck of Washington D.C., plus many friends and loving caretakers.

The Funeral Service for Sonya Curlile was held on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church

Manning, Iowa, with Reverend Anna Small, Officiating.

Casket Bearers were Aaron Wagoner, Angela Wagoner, Andrew Lapel, Joseph Lapel, Jordan Lapel and Jeff Bauer.

Place of Rest at Manning Cemetery, Manning, Iowa.