Mrs. Sonja Sanders Helton

March 23, 1939 - August 19, 2017

Sonja Sanders Helton of Panama City Beach, Florida, formerly of Gadsden, Alabama went to meet her Lord on Saturday, August 19, 2017. Mrs. Helton was a native of Gadsden, Alabama and a 1957 graduate of Emma Sansom High School. She retired from Gadsden City Board of Education as well as Bay County, Florida where she was employed by both for many years. She was a member of St. Bernadette Catholic Church of Panama City Beach Florida. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Fred C. Helton; son, Christopher Clark Helton; parents, Mamie and Barney Sanders; sisters, Mildred Knudson, Cora Lee Leaphart; and her brother, Ralph Sanders. She is survived by her daughter Lynn Marshall (Mark) of Southside, Alabama and Alison M. McCullum (Jeff) of Panama City, Florida; sisters, Wilma Huber of McKinney, Texas and Doris Moore of Boaz, Alabama; sister-in-law, Anne Shiner of Tennessee; grandchildren, Tony Marshall, Jeffrey Marshall, Leah Helton, Lennon Dain; special nieces, Jenny Corbin, of Boaz, Alabama and Melanie Ali of Monterey, California; thirteen nieces, nephews, many great nieces, nephews and cousins; and her special companion “Lady”. Honorary pallbearers are all friends, neighbors, former and present, as well as classmates of the graduating Class of 1957 of Emma Sansom High School. Her request was to be cremated and inurned at the same time as her husband, Fred C. Helton. A Celebration of their lives will be held at 1 PM Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at Village Chapel. The family will receive friends from 11 AM until the time of the service. Village Chapel Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements. Inurnment will follow at Forrest Cemetery in Gadsden, Alabama. Local arrangements by Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home, Panama City, FL.