Clayton Sonnier Jr.

Clayton Sonnier Jr., 65, of Houston, Texas, whispered his last words “I love you too” on April 28, 2025, and on the morning of April 30, 2025, he passed away with his wife, children and youngest grandchild at his bedside. If he had been born a King during medieval times, the moniker “Clayton the Kind” would have surely been appropriate. But Clayton wasn’t born a King and wasn’t really impressed by titles. He treated everyone with respect and dignity. Clayton was a man with humble beginnings who lived his life to the end with humility, grace, kindness and love for others in his heart.

Born on May 3, 1959, in Houston, Texas, Clayton was the first child of Clayton Sonnier Sr., a butcher by trade, and Mary (Bernard) Sonnier, a housewife and later, an employee in the hotel and home health care industries. Clayton was soon joined by his only sibling, a little sister named Rose, whom he adored. Affectionately known as “Cookie,” a nickname given to him by his father, Clayton grew up as part of a large, close-knit family of uncles, aunts and cousins whose roots reached back to Louisiana.

Clayton learned responsibility and how to navigate in the world of adults at an early age, as he accompanied his dad when he conducted business, taking on the task of reading and completing paperwork for his father. Around the same time, Clayton’s mother began to work outside the home, and it became Clayton’s responsibility to take care of himself and his sister. He washed clothes, prepared meals, made sure he and Rose got to school on time, ensured their homework was completed in the evenings, and even combed Rose’s hair. While some might have found these experiences overwhelming, Clayton took it all in stride and recalled his childhood as happy and fulfilling, especially because of his close bond with his little sister and all the fun he had playing with his cousins and friends.

Clayton was dedicated to his class work and was always a straight A student. In 1978, he graduated in the top of his class at Forest Brook High School. With a fervent desire to obtain his college degree one day, he balanced those desires with the need to ensure that his dreams did not create a financial burden for his parents. After high school, he chose to join the U.S. Navy. He was assigned to “the silent service” as a submariner and literally traveled the world in the USS Bluefish (ESN 675), an attack submarine which was part of an extended patrol in the Indian Ocean in 1982. Clayton recalled being submerged underwater for months at a time.

After serving his country with honor for 6 years, Clayton returned to Houston where he worked for HL&P. It was during this time that Clayton met his wife, Margret. After a chance encounter at a happy hour, they learned Margret knew two of Clayton’s Uncles who were in the same Knights of Columbus Council with her dad. That led to a first date the very next day for dinner and a movie, with not only Margret, but her parents, Uncle and Aunt and some of her first cousins who had already made plans a couple weeks before to see the movie, The Color Purple. (Yes, he was brave, too.) Clayton saw Margret every day after that and they married on January 3, 1987, 11 months after their first meeting at Rialto’s on that fateful evening,

Clayton was steadfast in his support of those he loved and once again put off his plans to attend college to support his wife as she attended law school at U of H. He started work at the U.S. Postal Service shortly after they married, with Clayton quickly moving into supervision. While working shift work for the Postal Service, he studied for his Series 7 license and passed the exam on the first try. He then worked part-time in the insurance and investments industry, while continuing to focus on his full-time career with the Postal Service. He eventually became a Branch Manager at Granville Elder Station in Houston where he was employed until his retirement.

In March of 1988, Clayton and Margret welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Chelsea, to their little family, and approximately 4 years later, their precious baby son, Dylan, arrived to complete their family. They were his pride and joy. It meant the world to him to travel to see his daughter graduate from Loyola Marymount University and 4 years later to see his son graduate from the University of Notre Dame. Clayton’s joy continued as his family grew after Chelsea met Kyle Gordon who would soon become her husband. Kyle and Chelsea would go on to add five children to the family, collectively referred to as Clayton’s heartbeats, aka the munchkins. They became the center of Clayton’s universe, and he loved babysitting and spending time with them, especially after his retirement.

Unable to stay still after retiring from the U.S. Postal Service in 2015, Clayton went to work with a cousin as an electrician with Contech Control Services on projects at chemical plants located in Baytown and Pasadena Texas. Clayton’s coworkers both with the Postal Service and at Contech became family, He rejoiced with them in their successes and although he probably never told them, prayed for them during their challenging times.

Clayton loved his family, both the one into which he was born and the one into which he married. His in-laws became his parents, brothers, and sisters. He loved and took pride in the accomplishments of his nephews, nieces, and little cousins as though they were his own children. Clayton was always happy to host large gatherings at his home for family members, whether it was holiday parties, birthday parties, showers, or game-watch events. He even opened his home to family friends and other family members who needed a place to stay for weeks and sometimes months at a time. He loved helping people.

Clayton was known for his smile, patience, kindness, easygoing attitude, and infectious laugh. He genuinely cared for others and was always one to encourage and support those with whom he came in contact. Clayton was also known for his brilliant mind. He really was one of the smartest people in the room and could speak on just about any topic with a certain level of expertise. Somone once commented, “Who needs Google when you have Clayton?” With an inquisitive nature, he observed others, asked a lot of questions and was a voracious reader on topics as varied as world history, geography, mechanics and engineering, investments, and medicine. Jeopardy was his favorite game show, and he was good about quickly shouting out the answers before the actual contestants. He could have posed a threat to any Jeopardy champion out there.

Clayton also enjoyed watching his favorite sports teams, including the Rockets, Astros, Texans, and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. When he turned on the TV, it was usually to watch the news, the Discovery Channel or ESPN. He also enjoyed watching a good old classic movie on TMC with Margret every once in a while, and came to enjoy Spongebob Square Pants and the Disney Channel with the grandchildren.

The final years of Clayton’s journey on this earth were filled with moments of immense joy and unfortunately, great struggles and sadness. In July of 2022, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He handled that diagnosis as he had handled all difficulties in his life—with a positive attitude and a resolve to do what it took to survive and even thrive, despite the odds. He didn’t dwell on his illness but focused on living and being present in the lives of his loved ones, especially his grandchildren. It was important to him that his great love for them be imprinted in their hearts and minds forever. However, on December 18, 2024, Clayton suffered a stroke. He spent over three months in various hospitals, including two stays in TIRR-Memorial Hermann where they taught him to walk again. Until the very end, Clayton never stopped fighting to stay with his family and his grandchildren. He felt responsible for them and Clayton never shirked on his responsibilities. He prayed for more time with all his grandchildren, but especially the littlest ones, ages 3 and 10 months. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. This obituary will be a reminder to them, we hope, that their PaPa was a good man of great kindness who loved them and their siblings and still does. May the world remember “Clayton the Kind” and others like him and may we all strive to show a little more kindness to others each and every day.

Clayton leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Margret; his children, Chelsea Sonnier Gordon and Dylan Sonnier; his son-in-law, Kyle Gordon; his grandchildren, Emily, Kyle Jr., Kane, Kash and Emma; his sister Rose Sonnier; his brothers-in-law, Michael and Joseph LaChapelle and Martin Runciman; his sisters-in-law, Juliette, Barbara, Tonia and Eleita LaChapelle; his aunts and uncles as well as a host of nieces and nephews, first cousins, and other relatives and friends.

Clayton was preceded in death by his parents, Clayton Sonnier Sr. and Mary Ezola Sonnier; his in-laws, Paul and Gloria LaChapelle; and his brother-in-law, Paul LaChapelle, Jr.

On behalf of Clayton and ourselves, the family thanks everyone who visited, prayed and/or cared for Clayton during his illness and/or supported us as his family, including the following individuals.

Dr. Babin Kurian, Michael Debakey VA Medical Center.

Dr. Alicia Bent, Charla and the nurses/patient techs at MD Anderson Cancer Hospital

The surgeons at Memorial Hermann Hospital’s Stroke Center

Dr. Falco, and the nurses/patient techs at TIRR-Memorial Hermann.

Everyone at the VA and the Veteran’s Workforce Commission who worked on Clayton’s behalf.

Dr. Felicity Mack, Doreth and the team at IPR Hospice

The care team from Cornerstone Caregivers of League City

Fr. Tom Frank, SSJ, Pastor at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church

Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament-Houston

Fr. Christian, Chaplain at TIRR-Memorial Herman.

Jonah Sonnier and the Congregation of Adat Ari El, Valley Village CA

DeDe Church, Julie Middleton and the DeDe Church & Associates Team

The Pam Rehabilitation Hospital-Heights Team

The LaChapelle, Runciman, Espree, Daniels, Auzenne, Sonnier, Sam, Tuck, Batla, Meyers, Gordon, Lemond, Curl, Haywood, Autry, Butts, Johnson and Ratliff families, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and/or friends and so many others who called, wrote or offered prayers from near and far.

BOND (Brothers of Notre Dame)

Margret and Dylan’s Notre Dame Family

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a savings account set up for purposes of establishing an education fund for the grandchildren of Clayton and Margret Sonnier by mailing donations to Margret L. Sonnier, 12622 Wood Dawn Ln., Houston, TX 77015 (if sending a check, please make the check payable to Margret L. Sonnier and write CSG Education Fund in the Memo section) or sending a donation electronically via Zelle to Margret Sonnier at [email protected].

A visitation for Clayton will be held Saturday, May 17, 2025 from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM at Sacred Heart Church, 3730 Farm to Market 160, Raywood, TX 77582. A rosary service will occur Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 12:15 PM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 3730 Farm To Market 160, Raywood, TX 77582. A funeral mass will occur Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 3730 Farm to Market 160, Raywood, TX 77582.

A reception will occur Saturday, May 17, 2025 immediately after the burial at Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church Hall, 101 Donatto Street, Liberty, TX 77575.