Iole Felicita Elisabetta Hoots

Iole "Sonya" Hoots: 1927-2022. Beloved wife, devoted mother, loyal patriot. Iole “Sonya” Hoots died on September 21, 2022, in Richmond, Virginia, after a long battle with dementia. Sonya was born in Venice, Italy, in 1927, daughter of Federico and Annunziata Busetto. A sister, Santina, died in early childhood. Growing up in wartime Italy held hardships, but Sonya cherished fond memories of her family and friends. Sonya met Rodney N. Hoots when he was a young U.S. Army soldier stationed in Lido, Venice. They wed in Chicago in 1948 and enjoyed 67 years of marriage. Through Rodney’s numerous deployments, Sonya held the fort at home with four lively children, while volunteering for the Red Cross and working part-time. Her cooking was without equal, and her prowess at bridge was legendary among the members of Ft. Belvoir’s Bodacious Bridge Buddies club. She and Rodney enjoyed family get-togethers, cruises, dancing, and traveling, especially to Venice. A devout Catholic, Sonya attended Mass every week she was able. Rodney died in 2016, and surely Sonya and he are now dancing together in paradise. Sonya is survived by four children, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces. All who loved Sonya are deeply grateful to the women and men who were her caregivers in the last several years of her life. A service at the Ft. Myer Old Post Chapel and burial at Arlington National Cemetery will be held on February 1 at 2:45, followed by a reception at the Patton Hall Community Club and Conference Center, Ft. Myer, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimers Association at https://www.alz.org.