Sonia Rieber

Sonia Starr Rieber passed away peacefully at home with her family on September 24, 2024, after a long and brave fight with Alzheimer's Disease. Sonny lived a long, beautiful life filled with family, adventure, quilting, opera, education, books, and travel. Sonny was proud to have grown up in the Bronx, New York, and spent most of her childhood summers in the Catskills with her beloved brother Leon, parents, aunts, uncles, and many cousins. She was the daughter of Russian immigrants Bella and Michael “Misha” Starr, born on April 16, 1932. She was educated in the New York City public school system and obtained a bachelor's Degree from the City College of New York. She said the “best summer of her life” was taking summer classes at The University of Wisconsin in Madison. She obtained a master's Degree from Hunter College, and a second master's degree from Bryn Mawr College followed by a Law Degree from New York College of Law. She spent her long, meaningful career teaching in the South Bronx and eventually worked as an educational evaluator.

Always an artist at heart, Sonny was an avid quilter, knitter, and “craft wizard”. “She could do anything with her hands to create beautiful things. She could cut material into patterns without a pattern. She could wind wires and beads into necklaces and quilt fabric into beautiful quilts. It was second nature worked into her intellect by osmosis. Sonny was always knitting. Her fingers had a life of their own. She shopped worldwide on a quest for exotic wool including Australia, China, New Zealand, and Ireland. (words of Jackie Friedman, best friend) Sonny was an active member of the Northern Star Quilters’ Guild, The Greenwich Antique Society, and the New York Teachers Union well into her eightieth decade.

In 1964 She met and later married Dr. Egmond Ezra Rieber (formerly of Bukavena, Romania, and Ramat Gan, Israel) on a blind date. They married at her parent's apartment and raised two sons together (Michael and Jonathan) in Yonkers and later Scarsdale, New York where they made their life. They lived on Crossway in Scarsdale until Egmond's unexpected and devastating death in November 1988. Her examples of bravery, courage, tenacity, educational excellence, and strength were the themes of her life, imparted to her sons during those difficult days and beyond. We will miss Sonny, a woman whose name conveys her inner light. This has been a long, hard, and sad goodbye. Her quick wit, keen humor, brutal honesty, huge enveloping hugs, hot pink fingernails, and never-ending, unconditional support have left a mark on all who knew her.

Sonia Starr Rieber is predeceased by her loving parents Bella and Michael, her younger brother Leon, and many special aunts and uncles, cousins, nephews, and good friends. She leaves behind her devoted sons Dr Michael Rieber (Sarah)of Livingston, New Jersey, and Dr Jonathan Rieber (Debbie) of Scarsdale, New York. She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren; Emma, Jonah, Sasha (Michael), Eden, and Jacob (Jonathan). Her nephew Michael (Karen) Starr, her niece Jennifer Starr, and their children; Eva, Ruby, and Judah; and her best friend Jackie Friedman.

A funeral service for Sonny will be held at Bernheim Apter Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel in Livingston, New Jersey at 11 am, Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Following the funeral services, there will be a burial at Cedar Park and Beth El Cemetary in Paramus, New Jersey.

Memorial donations may be made to the Etz Chiam benevolent fund.