1932
Viive
2012
Viive Sontich
March 17, 1932 — November 2, 2012
POLAND - A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Rev Joseph S. Rudjak Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul Church Holy Apostles Parish, 421 Covington St., Youngstown, for Viive Sontich, 80, who died peacefully at her home Friday evening of progressive supranuclear palsy.
Viive was born March 17, 1932, in Tallinn, Estonia, the daughter of Kurt and Zita Prees.
After her parents and grandparents were taken prisoner and killed by Russian occupiers during World War II, she escaped to Germany as an orphan and finished high school in Hamburg.
She immigrated to America in 1950, where she attended Youngstown College earning a B.A. in business and education. It was in college that she met her future husband, Attorney John T. Sontich.
At that time she started working in the basement of the former Strouss Department store in Youngstown. Diligently working her way up, she became the first woman to achieve executive status in the company. She served as the vice president of General Merchandise until her retirement in 1986.
Viive had a great passion for family activities. She enjoyed tennis, skiing, and watching her boys play football. She enjoyed traveling abroad and rekindled friends from her childhood in Estonia.
She is survived by her husband, Atty. John Sontich; a daughter, Viive Marie Tim Clayton of Poland; a son, Dr. John Ute Sontich of Chagrin Falls; six grandchildren, Atty. Tim Dominika Clayton of Columbus, Sean Clayton of New York City, Thomas Clayton of Poland, Lukas, and Sophia and Christoph Sontich of Chagrin Falls; a sister, Gina Barenholtz of San Diego; a brother, Dr. Paul Beverly Reeves of Rochester, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews.
The family has requested that material tributes take the form of donations to Beatitude House in Viive's memory.
Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Poland Chapel and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Tuesday morning at Sts. Peter and Paul Church.
Viive was born March 17, 1932, in Tallinn, Estonia, the daughter of Kurt and Zita Prees.
After her parents and grandparents were taken prisoner and killed by Russian occupiers during World War II, she escaped to Germany as an orphan and finished high school in Hamburg.
She immigrated to America in 1950, where she attended Youngstown College earning a B.A. in business and education. It was in college that she met her future husband, Attorney John T. Sontich.
At that time she started working in the basement of the former Strouss Department store in Youngstown. Diligently working her way up, she became the first woman to achieve executive status in the company. She served as the vice president of General Merchandise until her retirement in 1986.
Viive had a great passion for family activities. She enjoyed tennis, skiing, and watching her boys play football. She enjoyed traveling abroad and rekindled friends from her childhood in Estonia.
She is survived by her husband, Atty. John Sontich; a daughter, Viive Marie Tim Clayton of Poland; a son, Dr. John Ute Sontich of Chagrin Falls; six grandchildren, Atty. Tim Dominika Clayton of Columbus, Sean Clayton of New York City, Thomas Clayton of Poland, Lukas, and Sophia and Christoph Sontich of Chagrin Falls; a sister, Gina Barenholtz of San Diego; a brother, Dr. Paul Beverly Reeves of Rochester, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews.
The family has requested that material tributes take the form of donations to Beatitude House in Viive's memory.
Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Poland Chapel and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Tuesday morning at Sts. Peter and Paul Church.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Viive Sontich, please visit our flower store.
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