Sonny Harris

My Aunt Sonny died today (August 14, 2006). The wife of my father's older brother, Sonny was a constant in my life growing up and everyone will certainly miss her. 

Sonny was a fighter.  Whether it was her strength in life, in work or in her fight against cancer Sonny taught us all what it meant to be a strong woman.

Growing up I remember her as one with a strong opinion--you would have to be to live with my Uncle David. She was confident and persuasive. Later when I was in graduate school at USC, where Sonny worked, I was impressed by her command of the Davidson Conference Center and the respect she received in return from her peers. And, for the past twenty years or so, I've been stunned at the strength she has exhibited fighting her cancer, her daughter's cancer, her daughter-in-law's cancer and her grandson's cancer.  Sonny and her family have been great fighters. Sonny and her family got no breaks. If only there wasn't a fight for all that fighting.

Sonny's voice is loud and clear in my head still today. She won't leave any of us real soon. I'll miss her, but am happy she has retired as a fighter.