Sonia was very passionate about farming and helping veterans get started in farming. She was a force to be reckoned with when she had an idea and her passion was contagious in getting other people to join her in her cause to feed hungry people. Sonia was kind and always stuck up for the underdog. She achieved many awards and much recognition for her accomplishments and efforts in sustainable farming and helping veteran farmers get started.
On December 23, 2017, Sonia was joined in holy matrimony to Matthew James Muhammad Stover. Sonia and Matthew were inseparable. They are both decorated combat veterans and were even deployed at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, at the same time unknowingly. They were introduced to each other at the Freedom Foundation, a food bank for veterans in Cedar Rapids, and Matthew began volunteering for her non-profit Feed Iowa First the very next day. Matthew swears by the Creator, that Sonia was the answer to a prayer for a combat veteran wife who would understand him more than a civilian wife. Matthew asked Sonia’s father, Bob Malone, for her hand in marriage almost immediately while they were fishing on his mother’s pond. Bob said that Matthew could have his daughter’s hand, but he had to wait six months. They were married almost exactly six months after that trip to the pond. Sonia loved Matthew’s children, Adrian and Anabella, and treated them no differently than her own daughters, Maddie and Dani.
“She was a clear sign to humanity that there is hope when you have faith in times of trial. She was troubled with post-traumatic stress and was selflessly concerned for the wellbeing of all others before her own self. Her soul is eternal and she reached a level of faith in which she was never unconscious of God’s powerful presence and frequently said that God will sort everything out in the end. She was a firm believer in all of the Abrahamic books of Revelation, the Prophets and Messengers, the Angels, God’s will and the Oneness of God. She was my heart. She was my eyes. She was a peaceful warrior who spread only love on the earth. Her legacy will be carried on by God’s decree.” – Matthew Stover, husband.
Sonia accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior as a young person and had a deep faith in God that took her through many trials and tribulations as well as many blessings and joyful times. Sonia greatly loved her family and was deeply loved by her family and will be sorely missed in this life. Until we meet again.
“She always focused on the well-being of others, no matter how crazy it seemed. Her best intentions were always in her mind for others. Growing up with her was hard, but through that hardship she taught me many things. I am more confident, opinionated and mature because of her. She gave me strength and knowledge, the best things a mother could give.” A note from her daughter Maddie.
Sonia is survived by her husband, Matt Stover; her daughters Maddie and Dani; her parents Bob and Deb Malone; her mother-in-law Becky Johnson; Matt’s children Adrian and Bella Stover; her siblings Isaac (Karen) Malone, Luci (Adam) Harris and their children, Aiden, Lilly and Evelyn, Lois Kruse and her children Alanah, Robert, Jacob, Esau and Enoch; uncles David (Amy) Brown, Brian (Shari) Brown, David (Nancy) Malone, Tim (Deb) Malone; aunts Shelly Malone, Becky (David) Cruise, Meribeth Malone; her step-grandmother Sharon Brown; her former husband Lance Kendrick and his mother Jane (Tim) Parker; and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.
Sonia was preceded in death by her grandparents, Robert and Lee Malone, Badon Brown, and Don and Marian Brown, and her father-in-law Alex “Papa John” Johnson who passed away on March 9, 2018.
An Inter-Faith Service and Burial will begin at 2:15 p.m. Friday, March 23, 2018 at The Avacentre at Brosh Chapel. Burial will be in Muslim National Cemetery, where full military rites will be conducted at 3:30 p.m. A Celebration of Life gathering will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at The Avacentre.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Feed Iowa First, the Freedom Foundation or another organization that provides support for veterans or food-insecure Iowans.
__________________________________________
Documentary film trailer "Terra Firma" features 3 farming female veterans, Sonia Kendrick included
https://vimeo.com/73038185
‘Terra Firma’: A Film About Women, War & Healing on the Farm
https://civileats.com/2014/06/03/terra-firma-a-film-about-women-war-healing-on-the-farm/
“Women Veteran Leader Champion of Change” - Sonia Jo Kendrick
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/champions/women-veteran-leaders/sonia-jo-kendrick
Feed Iowa First -NPPA TV Quarterly Clip Contest 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6EHSHVj7es
KGAN -- CBS 2 Heroes - Feed Iowa First - Apr 29, 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA4aNBMsMrw
Radish Magazine Award Winner
http://homegrowniowan.com/sonia-kendrick-works-to-feed-iowa-first/
Feed Iowa First - Sonia Kendrick - Jul 22, 2017 "whoever controls your food controls you"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ8Vz69YXdk
Little Village Drawing Board: Sonia Kendrick of Feed Iowa First -July 26, 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIqae_PaGfE
Striving to heal one meal at a time: Founder of Feed Iowa First dies at age 40
http://www.thegazette.com/subject/obits/news-obits/striving-to-heal-one-meal-at-a-time-founder-of-feed-iowa-first-dies-at-age-40-20180321
Sonia Kendrick remembered as tireless fighter of hunger
http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/-Sonia-Kendrick-remembered-as-tireless-fighter-of-hunger-477577883.html
FOUNDER OF FEED IOWA FIRST HAS DIED
http://krna.com/founder-of-feed-iowa-first-has-died/
Tribute to Feed Iowa First founder Sonia Kendrick
http://homegrowniowan.com/tribute-to-feed-iowa-first-founder-sonia-kendrick/
Sonia Kendrick works to Feed Iowa First
http://homegrowniowan.com/sonia-kendrick-works-to-feed-iowa-first/
‘I believe plows are greater than swords’: Sonia Kendrick, founder of Feed Iowa First, has died
http://littlevillagemag.com/sonia-kendrick-founder-of-feed-iowa-first-has-died/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6EHSHVj7es
Sonia was very passionate about farming and helping veterans get started in farming. She was a force to be reckoned with when she had an idea and her passion was contagious in getting other people to join her in her cause to feed hungry people. Sonia was kind and always stuck up for the underdog. She achieved many awards and much recognition for her accomplishments and efforts in sustainable farming and helping veteran farmers get started.
On December 23, 2017, Sonia was joined in holy matrimony to Matthew James Muhammad Stover. Sonia and Matthew were inseparable. They are both decorated combat veterans and were even deployed at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, at the same time unknowingly. They were introduced to each other at the Freedom Foundation, a food bank for veterans in Cedar Rapids, and Matthew began volunteering for her non-profit Feed Iowa First the very next day. Matthew swears by the Creator, that Sonia was the answer to a prayer for a combat veteran wife who would understand him more than a civilian wife. Matthew asked Sonia’s father, Bob Malone, for her hand in marriage almost immediately while they were fishing on his mother’s pond. Bob said that Matthew could have his daughter’s hand, but he had to wait six months. They were married almost exactly six months after that trip to the pond. Sonia loved Matthew’s children, Adrian and Anabella, and treated them no differently than her own daughters, Maddie and Dani.
“She was a clear sign to humanity that there is hope when you have faith in times of trial. She was troubled with post-traumatic stress and was selflessly concerned for the wellbeing of all others before her own self. Her soul is eternal and she reached a level of faith in which she was never unconscious of God’s powerful presence and frequently said that God will sort everything out in the end. She was a firm believer in all of the Abrahamic books of Revelation, the Prophets and Messengers, the Angels, God’s will and the Oneness of God. She was my heart. She was my eyes. She was a peaceful warrior who spread only love on the earth. Her legacy will be carried on by God’s decree.” – Matthew Stover, husband.
Sonia accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior as a young person and had a deep faith in God that took her through many trials and tribulations as well as many blessings and joyful times. Sonia greatly loved her family and was deeply loved by her family and will be sorely missed in this life. Until we meet again.
“She always focused on the well-being of others, no matter how crazy it seemed. Her best intentions were always in her mind for others. Growing up with her was hard, but through that hardship she taught me many things. I am more confident, opinionated and mature because of her. She gave me strength and knowledge, the best things a mother could give.” A note from her daughter Maddie.
Sonia is survived by her husband, Matt Stover; her daughters Maddie and Dani; her parents Bob and Deb Malone; her mother-in-law Becky Johnson; Matt’s children Adrian and Bella Stover; her siblings Isaac (Karen) Malone, Luci (Adam) Harris and their children, Aiden, Lilly and Evelyn, Lois Kruse and her children Alanah, Robert, Jacob, Esau and Enoch; uncles David (Amy) Brown, Brian (Shari) Brown, David (Nancy) Malone, Tim (Deb) Malone; aunts Shelly Malone, Becky (David) Cruise, Meribeth Malone; her step-grandmother Sharon Brown; her former husband Lance Kendrick and his mother Jane (Tim) Parker; and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.
Sonia was preceded in death by her grandparents, Robert and Lee Malone, Badon Brown, and Don and Marian Brown, and her father-in-law Alex “Papa John” Johnson who passed away on March 9, 2018.
An Inter-Faith Service and Burial will begin at 2:15 p.m. Friday, March 23, 2018 at The Avacentre at Brosh Chapel. Burial will be in Muslim National Cemetery, where full military rites will be conducted at 3:30 p.m. A Celebration of Life gathering will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at The Avacentre.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Feed Iowa First, the Freedom Foundation or another organization that provides support for veterans or food-insecure Iowans.
__________________________________________
Documentary film trailer "Terra Firma" features 3 farming female veterans, Sonia Kendrick included
https://vimeo.com/73038185
‘Terra Firma’: A Film About Women, War & Healing on the Farm
https://civileats.com/2014/06/03/terra-firma-a-film-about-women-war-healing-on-the-farm/
“Women Veteran Leader Champion of Change” - Sonia Jo Kendrick
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/champions/women-veteran-leaders/sonia-jo-kendrick
Feed Iowa First -NPPA TV Quarterly Clip Contest 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6EHSHVj7es
KGAN -- CBS 2 Heroes - Feed Iowa First - Apr 29, 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA4aNBMsMrw
Radish Magazine Award Winner
http://homegrowniowan.com/sonia-kendrick-works-to-feed-iowa-first/
Feed Iowa First - Sonia Kendrick - Jul 22, 2017 "whoever controls your food controls you"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ8Vz69YXdk
Little Village Drawing Board: Sonia Kendrick of Feed Iowa First -July 26, 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIqae_PaGfE
Striving to heal one meal at a time: Founder of Feed Iowa First dies at age 40
http://www.thegazette.com/subject/obits/news-obits/striving-to-heal-one-meal-at-a-time-founder-of-feed-iowa-first-dies-at-age-40-20180321
Sonia Kendrick remembered as tireless fighter of hunger
http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/-Sonia-Kendrick-remembered-as-tireless-fighter-of-hunger-477577883.html
FOUNDER OF FEED IOWA FIRST HAS DIED
http://krna.com/founder-of-feed-iowa-first-has-died/
Tribute to Feed Iowa First founder Sonia Kendrick
http://homegrowniowan.com/tribute-to-feed-iowa-first-founder-sonia-kendrick/
Sonia Kendrick works to Feed Iowa First
http://homegrowniowan.com/sonia-kendrick-works-to-feed-iowa-first/
‘I believe plows are greater than swords’: Sonia Kendrick, founder of Feed Iowa First, has died
http://littlevillagemag.com/sonia-kendrick-founder-of-feed-iowa-first-has-died/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6EHSHVj7es
See more Stover or Malone Kendrick memorials in:
- Muslim National Cemetery Stover or Malone Kendrick
- Cedar Rapids Stover or Malone Kendrick
- Linn County Stover or Malone Kendrick
- Iowa Stover or Malone Kendrick
- USA Stover or Malone Kendrick
- Find a Grave Stover or Malone Kendrick