Sonja F. (Sielaff) Herbert

Sonja Fay (Sielaff) Herbert, 87, of Osseo, went to be with her Lord and Savior, October 9, 2025, at Cambridge Senior Living Center in Eau Claire.

Sonja was born March 1, 1938, in Whitehall, the daughter of George and Hazel (Lee) Sielaff. She attended Pleasantville School through 8th grade and graduated in 1956 from Whitehall High School where she was involved in choir, musicals and Badger Girls State. Sonja and Cordell C. Herbert fell in love in high school. After Cordell returned home from being stationed in Germany, they were married, May 25, 1957, in Pleasantville. The couple moved to Chicago, IL, where Sonja worked as a secretary at Shriners Corporate Headquarters. In 1959, she and Cordell moved to Whitehall where they had two daughters, Natalie and Lori. In 1965, they moved to Osseo, where they owned the bowling alley together with Sonja’s sister and her husband. After selling the bowling alley, Sonja became a secretary/paralegal for the Osseo lawyer’s office where she worked until retirement.

Sonja was a devoted and loving caregiver to her husband. She was spunky, strong-willed, supportive, caring, fun and full of life. She loved to talk and tell stories, support and cheer on her children and grandchildren, competitively play board and card games with family and friends, teach her family about Norwegian cooking traditions like lefse, travel, and golf. Every year Sonja and her family would get together to have Lefse Making Day, it is a tradition that her family will forever cherish.

Sonja is survived by her daughter, Lori (the late Dean) Sanders; son-in-law, Steve (the late Natalie) Velie; grandchildren: Joshua (Rachel Mohr-Velie) Velie, Danielle (Mark) Prissel, Tairyn (Ryan Frank) Velie, Bret Sanders, and Kara (Trevor) Howells; great-grandchildren: Brynleigh Prissel, Beckett Prissel, and Eira Velie. She is also survived by her sisters: Rosemary (Sielaff) Berg and Georgia (Sielaff) Nelson; and brother, George Sielaff. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Cordell Herbert; daughter, Natalie Velie; parents, George and Hazel Seilaff; son-in-law, Dean Sanders; and sister, Kathryn (Sielaff) Thompson.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Jack Funeral Home in Whitehall is assisting the family with arrangements.