Sonja Hartley Capehart passed away on Wednesday April 8, 2026, at her home in Baton Rouge, LA
She was born at home on the family farm of her paternal grandparents, Minnie and
Vitus Hartley, Sr., on 27 January 1939 to the late Gladys Fern (Newell) Hartley and
Harley Harding Hartley in Cottageville, WV.

Sonja (Sonne) graduated from Point Pleasant High School in 1957 and attended West
Virginia University for a year. She then worked at Kaiser Aluminum for several years
before marrying the late William Ray Capehart (Bill/Bevo) on 19 May 1961.
Sonne and Bill had three daughters, and she spent most of her early adult life as a stay at-
home mother and homemaker. Always creative, she enjoyed sewing clothing for her
daughters as well as tastefully decorating the family home and growing beautiful
flowers.

In her early 40s, she became a licensed florist and floral designer in the state of
Louisiana. She worked in that career for many years before turning to writing in her 50s.
Tired of badly written romance novels, Sonja decided to write her own! She authored
two self-published novels, Heroes and Forever, under the pen name of Sonne T. Hart.
After retirement, Sonne and Bill lived in Bradenton, FL, until Bill's passing in 2013, when
she moved to Rockwall, TX, for a brief period. In recent years, Sonja has divided her
time between her middle daughter, Staci's, home in Baton Rouge, LA, and her oldest
daughter, Lisa's, home in Foster, KY.

Sonja is survived by her three daughters, Lisa Capehart (Michael Colemire), Staci
Capehart, and Cathy Jo Hood (Chip Toth); Grandchildren, Dillon Hulse, Mason
Colemire, Nadia Capehart, Melanie (Justin) Millsap, and Kristopher (Heather) Hood;
and Great-grandchildren, Knox, Jones, Harry, and Olive Millsap, and Keller Hood.
She is also survived by her sister, Cathy Staats, and Sister-in-Law, Linda Capehart;
Nephews, Thomas Staats (Angie), Jim Capehart, Frank Capehart IV (Reva), Curtis
Capehart (Krista); and Niece, Kristen (Phil) Mauser.

Sonja was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, as well as brothers-in-law
Frank H. Capehart III, James A. Capehart, Thomas H. Staats; sister-in-law, Margi
Capehart, and niece, Pam Cullen.

A graveside service will be held at the Creston Cemetery in Leon, on Saturday April 18, 2026, at
2:00, with Robert Patterson II officiating. There will be no visitation.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Sonja's name to the Creston Cemetery
Fund, c/o Steve Wedge, 3850 Parchment Valley Road, Evans, WV 25241, or to the
Baden Cemetery, c/o Alice Keefer, 25945 Ripley Road, Mt. Alto, WV 25264.