Sonia Gaviola (née Armstrong), 64, of Dunbar, passed away on January 29, 2023 at the Arthur B. Hodges Center after a long illness.

Sonia was born on July 28, 1958 to the late John Armstrong and Faith Armstrong (née Boggess).

She graduated from Dunbar High School in the class of 1976 and briefly attended Morris Harvey College. In 1985, she moved to Montauk, NY after meeting her former husband. During the years she spent in NY, Sonia had two beautiful children and a career as a successful realtor and small business owner. Later in life, she pursued her passion for floral arranging by starting her own business, Simply Flowers by Sonia. In 2019, Sonia moved back home to WV to be closer to her mother and reconnect with her local friends and relatives. She will always be remembered as an ambitious, outgoing woman with an infectious laugh and deep love of animals, particularly cats and dogs. Sonia was happiest collecting shells on the beach in Jupiter, FL during many happy vacations with her children.

Sonia is survived by her brother, Joel Armstrong; daughters, Christina Forgone (née Gaviola) and Nicole Kokenos (née Gaviola); and granddaughter, Luna Kokenos.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 1 at Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at Keller Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be sent to the Kanawha Charleston Humane Association, 1248 Greenbrier St., Charleston, WV 25311.