We mourn the tragic loss of a member of the Legal Aid family.

Sonya Patterson was a lawyer in our Oklahoma City Law Office. Sonya started at Legal Aid as a law school intern. Her passion for helping women and children affected by domestic violence shaped her legal career from the beginning.

Sonya Patterson was a bright, shining star in the legal profession. While in law school, Sonya served as Pro Bono Coordinator and President for the Public Interest Law Group, and was an active participant in the International Human Rights Law Group. She was on the Dean’s List and Faculty Honor Roll, and a member of Phi Delta Phi. She studied abroad in Zanzibar in the areas of human trafficking, slavery, and piracy. She was a Merit Scholar, Licensed Legal Intern, and completed the Child Abuse and Neglect Interdisciplinary Training Program.

Sonya had an impressive career during her three short years as a lawyer. Sonya was a fearless advocate and would take on any case for her client, no matter how complicated. She was a great mentor and example for law students and new lawyers. While it is impossible to measure, there is no doubt Sonya saved lives through her work.

During her career, Sonya testified in an interim study at the Capitol on domestic violence and homelessness, coordinated a legal advice clinic at the local domestic violence shelter, organized and ran a weekly courthouse clinic to assist pro se litigants with their divorces, represented domestic violence victims at a courthouse clinic on the protective order docket, argued a case on appeal before a referee at the Supreme Court, and represented countless domestic violence victims in divorce and paternity cases. Sonya was a member of the Oklahoma County Lawyers Against Domestic Abuse Committee and gave numerous CLE presentations on divorce and domestic violence. She was recently elected Oklahoma County Law Library Trustee and was nominated into the William J. Holloway, Jr. American Inn of Court. The legal profession has lost a great one. Sonya will be missed.

Sonya Lea Patterson, 30, of Oklahoma City passed from this life on September 5, 2015, from an ATV accident. She was born on August 5, 1985 in Ft. Hood, Texas. After graduating from Oak Grove High School in 2003, she then received a Bachelor of Business management from Oklahoma State University in 2007. Her education dream was realized, upon completion of a juris doctorate degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 2012. While there, Sonya received 13 awards and recognitions, a Citation of Congratulations from Senator Halligan, and was a member of Phi Delta Phi. She was a member of First Christian Church in Stillwater, Okla.

She is survived by her husband of four years B.J. Patterson, parents Dana Mallett (Don) and Steve Ostrowski (Judith), Parents-in-law Lance and Gaylene Patterson, Sister Kayla Ostrowski, Brother Kyle Ostrowski, Grandparents Bill and Sharon Brown and Thad and Marilyn Ostrowski.

Sonya was a ray of sunshine and a free spirit from the moment she was born. Growing up she never knew a stranger and was always wanting to help people. She received a college scholarship for her volunteer work while in high school. She touched so many lives with her contagious personality and her love for people and life.

Her lifelong ambition was to help abused and neglected children. She accomplished that by becoming an attorney at Legal Aid in Oklahoma City, where she also helped victims of domestic violence. Sonya was a lover of animals, which led her into leadership in a pet rescue organization. Having two pug babies of her own did not stop her from fostering other pugs. She was an avid fan of anything OSU and the Oklahoma City Thunder. You could always find Sonya enjoying the outdoors either fishing, hunting, camping, boating, or ATV riding.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Lake Willastein Park, main stage, in Maumelle on Monday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.. All are welcome to come and help the family celebrate.

A Celebration of Life Service will also be held at the OSU Conoco/Phillips Alumni Center in Stillwater, Okla., on Oct. 4 at 4 p.m.. Please join us for this celebration as we will show our Cowboy spirit with the fight song and release balloons into the heavens.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been set up at http://www.gofundme.com/SonyaLPatterson. The proceeds collected will be donated in Sonya’s name to local Pug Rescues and to victims of Domestic Violence. Sonya dedicated her time and energy to both causes and we want to see her efforts continued through this fund.