Sonia "Sunny" Lyn Hall

Sunny was the daughter of Charles & Kathryn Strohl and was born on Sept. 18, 1943 in Decatur, IL. She grew up alongside her identical twin, Sandy Strohl (Archey), and graduated from Bement High School in 1961. As a high school sophomore, Sunny met Tom Hall at a school dance and the two immediately fell in love. After dating for two years, the couple got engaged in July 1961 and got married the following month.

The couple attended Eastern Illinois University and both graduated with a B.S. in Education in 1965. Sunny went on to teach art at Johns Hill Junior High and Clinton High School. She taught until March of 1969 when she became a mother. Always dedicated and loving parents, Sunny and Tom raised their children, Amy and Craig, in Clinton, IL until they moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1978.

While living in Phoenix, Sunny held a variety of jobs before returning to her calling --- teaching art. From 1990-2007, Sunny taught art at Greenbriar Elementary in the Deer Valley School District. She continued to teach part-time until 2009 when she officially retired at 65.

Following retirement, Sunny started her own business, Paint & Gogh, where she continued her teaching legacy by holding painting parties for all ages. In addition to inspiring and mentoring artists, Sunny was a beloved and dedicated “Grammy” to her grandsons. Always said to be the “sunshine” in others’ lives, she lived up to her name and was a beautiful soul inside and out.

Sunny is preceded in death by her parents and her husband. She is survived by her sisters, Sandy Archey and Judy Fruendt, daughter Amy and son-in-law Shannon Opitz, son Craig and daughter-in-law Heather (Crago) Hall, and her precious grandsons -- Cade & Carson Hall, and Nick, Nolan, Carson, & Parker Opitz.

A Celebration of Life for Sunny & Tom will be held at Santisi Brothers Pizzeria & Sports Grill, 2710 W Bell Rd. in Phoenix, AZ, on Dec. 15 from 1-4 p.m.