Sonja Langlois

Opelousas- It is with heavy hearts that the family of Sonja Marietta Mulder Langlois announce the death of their dear loved one.

Funeral services for Sonja Mulder Langlois will be held in the Skip Montet Memorial Chapel at Lafond Ardoin Funeral Home on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.  Burial will follow at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Cemetery in Port Barre, LA.

Ms. Sonja passed away on Monday, May 9, 2022, at Prompt Succor Nursing Home in Opelousas, LA, surrounded by her family at the age of 83.  She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Sonja Marietta Mulder Langlois, born on December 21, 1938, to Johan Christian Mulder and Ekaterina (Mady) Leiche Mulder in Port Elizabeth S.A.  Johan from Indonesia and Mady from Romania, made their home in S.A. where they raised three daughters of which Sonja was the oldest.  Married in 1963 to Desmond Liddell Wilson, their union was short as he passed away in 1967.  Sonja was pregnant with their first daughter, Lidietta (Liddy) Liddell Wilson.  She married her second husband, John Langlois from Port Barre, LA, on an oil field job assignment in South Africa in 1971.  From their union, her second daughter, Katherine (Kathy) Mady Langlois was born.  John passed away in 1981 leaving her to raise an 8-year-old and a 13-year-old.  Her proud moment in life was when she became a citizen of the United States of America in February of 1976.

Sonja lived a life full of cultural experiences.  Her journey began at the age of 33 when she married John.  His work brought her to several countries.  As God allowed it, he was stationed in Romania for 2 years where she saw the birthplace of her mother and met some of her family.  She was also privileged to live in her father’s birth country of Indonesia for 4 years.  John’s work also brought him to Poland where they lived for a year.

She always made the best of what she had to work with even in foreign countries and in unfamiliar customs and language barriers.  Sonja is no stranger to hardships, burying both of her husbands and raising two daughters alone away from her family.

As a young woman she worked as a bank teller in South Africa.  In Poland and Romania, she devoted her time to homeschooling her oldest daughter Liddy while tending to her newborn Kathy.  She worked as a music teacher in Indonesia.  In Opelousas, she worked as a preschool aide at Belmont Academy where her children attended school for approximately 5 years.  Later she worked at ABW as a kindergarten aide and later a preschool teacher for approximately 11 years.  She worked as the PBX operator at Doctor’s Hospital of Opelousas on the weekends during this time.  During the summer months, she taught swimming lessons to countless children as well as adults.  Later, she worked as a secretary at Lafond Ardoin Funeral Home for approximately 20 years.  She was active in the Opelousas Little Theater serving as a house manager and dabbling in a few plays herself.  She was an active member in the Louisiana Memorial United Methodist church and the church choir.  Later, she attended Our Saviors Church with her daughter, Liddy.  She was also a long-time member of the Opelousas Community Choir.

Anyone who knew her knew she was a people person.  She never met a stranger.  She had a quick wit and she loved life.  When someone would ask her how she was doing, her classic answer was always “Fit, Fat, and Flourishing, Super, Slick, and Sassy”.  Special memories with her grandchildren have of her included her babysitting them as small children, watching cartoons on Saturday mornings and drinking the best coffee milk ever in a special cup.  Laughing at her when she accidentally ate dog food and liked it!  Putting puzzles together with her, surprising her in the nursing home in a cap and gown for high school graduation.  And so many more.

Her quick-witted answers and quirky sayings were known to everyone she met.  When asked, “How do you feel?” …her answer was always, “with my fingers”.  And when asked, “How did she sleep?” her response was always, “with my eyes closed”.  When someone complained about something to her, her response was always, “I had one too and the wheel fell off”.   One of her famous quirky sayings was “1, 2, 6…. hoopla” when she would stand up or the aides at the nursing home would help her up.  They actually started saying that same phrase themselves!  She was affectionately known as granny to her grandchildren and CG for “crazy granny” to her great grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughters, Liddy (Ronald) Adams of Opelousas, and Kathy (Shane) Tatman of Opelousas; 5 grandchildren; Katelyn (Dusty) LeBlanc of Opelousas, Daniel (Catlyn) Adams of Rayne, Maggie Adams of Opelousas, Brooke Tatman and Kiley Tatman of Opelousas; 4 great grandchildren, Monroe, Penelope, Ivy Rose, and Opal LeBlanc; and one sister, Anita Marcelle Mulder of South Africa.  She last saw her sister in 2018 and with the assistance of FT over the last 4 years.  She has extended family in Holland, Bon Aire, and South Africa still.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Johan and Mady Mulder, First husband Desmond Wilson, Second husband John Langlois, sister, Carmen Sylvia van Leeuwen, and Brother-in-law Jack van Leeuwen.

Pallbearers will be Ronald Adams, Shane Tatman, Daniel Adams, Dusty LeBlanc, Maggie Adams, and Brooke Tatman.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the Skip Montet Memorial Chapel at the LaFond-Ardoin Funeral Home of Opelousas.

Family and friends are invited to sign and view the online guestbook at www.lafondardoin.com.

LaFond-Ardoin Funeral Home, 2845 South Union Street, Opelousas, LA 70570, (337-942-2638) has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.