Sonya Kahn Simenauer

Born Oct. 7, 1932 in Peoria to Jack and Ethel Kahn. They preceded her in death.

She is survived by two daughters, Lori (Aaron) Jacoby and their children, Talia and Ilana, and Suzan (Rob) Mazor and their children, Benjamin and Evan; and her brother, Z Alan Kahn.

Sonya studied harp at Julliard School of Music under the direction of Marcel Grandjany and played harp in the New York Philharmonic with Leonard Bernstein as conductor. She was the first woman member of the New York Philharmonic. She then studied dentistry at Columbia University in New York and briefly practiced dentistry in Peoria. After that, she studied medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago and became a pediatrician in Peoria. She practiced pediatrics for almost 30 years, often caring for the children of her former patients. As a pediatrician she loved all of her patients as if they were her own.

She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her four grandchildren, who adored her. She loved music and science. She was active and independent until the end of her life.

Funeral Services will be at 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012 at Davison-Fulton Woodland Chapel in Peoria with Rabbi Michael Arsers officiating. Visitation will be one hour before services Sunday at the chapel. Burial will follow services at Peoria Hebrew Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.