Sonja Thomsen

Sonja passed away in the care of Dove West and St. Croix Hospice on November 4, 2025.

Sonja was the first of six children born to Chester O. and Muriel (McCarthy) Paulson in Eau Claire, WI. Her other siblings included Bradley Nels, Steven Jon, Charles Chester, Robert Joseph, and James Michael.

Sonja's family settled on the upper west side of EC, where family members still live today. She went the 9th Ward School (Lincoln), then onto the "old" Junior High School on Lake St., and then to the Eau Claire High School, on Main St. and graduated in 1955. She furthered her education at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, graduating in 1959 with a double major in Medical Technology. She spent most of her career at Mayo Hospital and St. Mary's Clinic in Rochester, retiring after 45 years of service in the medical industry. She then moved to Oregon to be near her daughter and then returned to Eau Claire several years ago and resided at several Senior Living Facilities.

She married Charles Rolf Thomsen in 1962 and later divorced. She had two children: Steve of Eau Claire, WI, and Jorna Taylor, Grant's Pass, Oregon.

Sonja was a horse lady having owned several horses and won numerous high point awards, and many Year End Championship award trophies. She started with horses at age of 10 in 1947 working with the Remington Family at "horse camp" every summer. She would own, ride, show, and judge horses over her entire lifetime, retiring from horsemanship duties only a few years ago. She owned Registered Quarter horses for over 70 years. She was a Board Member/Member of the Western Saddle Clubs Assoc., Tri-state Horse Assoc., MN Horse Council, Oregon Horse Assoc., and the American Quarter Horse Assoc. and the Bit and Spur Club in Eau Claire. She enjoyed riding, showing, training, and teaching others, mostly young ladies, the correct ways to ride and show their horses.

She is survived by her children: Steve of Eau Claire, Jorna and granddaughter Saundra Shipley of Oregon, her brothers: Steven Paulson and Jim Paulson of Eau Claire, WI as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.

Per Sonja's wishes, there will be no services.