Raymond D. Sonnier

A retired project/chemical engineer, he died unexpectedly at home Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. He was 64, a Lafayette Parish native and a longtime Baton Rouge resident. Visiting at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 2021 Stuart Ave., on Monday, Nov. 2, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. followed by funeral Mass. Interment arrangements pending. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Cheramie Baker Sonnier; a daughter, Gillian Lee Sonnier, Valley Village, Calif.; a son, Colin Baker Sonnier, Chicago; a sister, Loris Boudreaux, Lafayette; nieces, nephews and cousins. Preceded in death by his parents, Gilbert and Meta Weber Sonnier; and two brothers, I. Wallace Sonnier and infant Larry Sonnier. He graduated as a chemical engineer from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and received his master's degree in business administration from LSU. He began his professional career at Dow Chemical Co. in Lake Jackson, Texas. He worked for a brief time for Napko Paints in Houston before joining Ethyl Corp. in Baton Rouge. He retired from Albemarle Corp. in 2000. In retirement, he continued to work for the Shaw Group and Wink Inc. He also was a licensed real estate agent. He was an usher at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. He had been a coach with the Baton Rouge Soccer Association and an adult leader with Boy Scouts of America, Troop 7. He was a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Hunter's Run Gun Club. He was an avid cook and wine enthusiast who occasionally wrote the Wine Notes column for The Advocate's food section. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, 550 Lobdell Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806.