Schwarz ‘touched a lot of lives in such a short time’

ALBANY COUNTY — Sonja Schwarz was a beautiful, brilliant young woman who had a huge heart, said her aunt, Janice Willard.

An honors student in her last year at Sage College, Miss Schwarz died last Thursday after a sedan she had been driving careened off of a road in New Scotland and struck a barn. She was 25.

When she was 4 years old, Miss Schwarz’s mother died at the age of 38 in an automobile accident, said her aunt. Miss Schwarz survived the crash.
She was raised by Ms. Willard, a former Schenectady school teacher, and Gina Gordon, an Albany educator. Miss Schwarz called Ms. Willard and Ms. Gordon "her parental surrogates," Ms. Willard said.

Miss Schwarz had an affinity for the elderly and loved children, Ms. Willard said.
"She had a passionate interest and an advocate’s voice for civil rights and the rights of children, and volunteered for mentoring and elder care in the local community," said her family in a tribute.

Miss Schwarz had high aspirations for her future.
"She really wanted to go to law school," said Ms. Willard.

After graduating from the Albany Academy for Girls in 2000, Miss Schwarz attended Boston University. She returned to the Capital District and attended Bryant and Stratton College and received a paralegal certificate. She had recently been hired by an Albany law firm Rehfuss Liguori and Associates.
Ms. Willard is an attorney. "I think that had kind of an influence on Sonja," she said.

After moving from Schenectady to the village of Altamont to live with her parental surrogates, Miss Schwarz lived on her own in Latham, said Ms. Willard.

Miss Schwarz worked at a Guilderland Center nursing home, as a waitress at Red Robin, and at Albany Medical Center. She also worked as a legal administrator for Green and Seiffer.
A steady line of visitors from every walk of life you can imagine came to the funeral home on Sunday, said Ms. Willard. "They were of every race and every religion," she said.

Waitresses who had worked with Miss Schwarz at Red Robin and her former teachers were among those who came, she said. A professor from Sage came and told Ms. Willard what grade Sonja Schwarz had earned the previous semester.
"She obviously touched a lot of people’s lives in a very short time," said Ms. Willard.

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Miss Schwarz is survived by her grandfather, Otto Schwarz; aunts, Judy Schwarz and Janice Willard; parental surrogate Gina Gordon; and cousins Tracy and Zachary Caldwell.

Her mother, Sandra K. Schwarz, died before her as did her grandmother, Myra, and her aunt, Sharon Schwarz.

A funeral service was held Monday morning. Interment was in Memory’s Garden in Colonie. The Daly Funeral Home in Schenectady made the arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to Equinox (Children’s Program), 95 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12206.