Sondra Lea (Lane) Reyer

Mrs. Sondra Lea (Lane) Reyer formerly of Whitewater, Indiana, born June 16, 1942, passed peacefully January 15^th , 2024 in Worcester, Massachussetts.  She was surrounded by family in the last days of her life.  Known for her big spontaneous smile, warm hugs and a helping hand, Sondra was 81 years of age.

Growing up a devout Roy Rogers fan, she fell in love with horses on her family farm, riding and teaching them tricks to play dead, bow, and roll over.  She once had 3 horses play dead at the same time, happily recalling the hours and carrots spent on that endeavor.  In her senior year of high school in Indiana, she became valedictorian and homecoming queen, later to graduate from Ball State University at the top of her class as a registered nurse.  Nursing was a lifelong dream that not only provided for her family but fulfilled her need to care for others until God gave her another way.

She was married to her late first husband, Robert B. Barrett, for 19 years, settled and raised their 3 children, Martie, Kellie and “Robill”, on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.  In that little southern coastal town called Gautier, “Sonnie” acquired a love for the ocean, baking wholewheat bread and milking her goats.  Known for her fear of snakes, that didn’t stop her from sharing an adventurous spirit of the outdoors with her children.  She would often ask one of her kids to run outside to pick a bucket of blackberries from the multitude of wild berry bushes covering the cliffside to the ocean or a flower from her only little gardenia bush she could see from the kitchen window.  That gardenia bush stands over 6 feet tall today, along with a small 45 year old goat shed overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

Sondra later remarried the late James Edward Reyer and settled in Montana near his grown children, Lori, Dan and Rhonda, and their families.  There she served alongside her husband in Ministry, for nearly 30 years.  At any given time their little ranchette overlooking the Yellowstone River had a few goats, chickens, horses or grandkids running around in view outside their kitchen window.  Baking in the kitchen, canning peaches, messing in the garden, and feeding the goats, were some of the grandchildren’s memories with grandma.  Movie nights, root beer floats, and snow sled parties were among the activities remembered with both grandma and grandpa. She confessed “Jim” and horses had been the loves of her life.

Mrs. Reyer was preceded in passing by her beloved parents, Russell Perry Lane, Uleva Trusty Lane, and her younger sister, Cheryl Jean Lane (Miller) whom she missed very much.  Sondra talked eagerly of seeing again (in the Kingdom of Heaven) her older sister, late Ilene Marie Basham (Shade) from their mother’s first marriage, along with Ilene’s younger sister and brother, who both died at an early age, William and Roxanne May Basham of Marion, Indiana.   She also has another older sister and brother from her father’s side, late Vivian and Victor Lane she awaits to see.  Sondra is survived by her nieces from her older sister, Ilene and (Charles) Basham, who were like sisters to her, Rhoda Claudean Shade Oakley, and Roxanna Lynne Shade Smith, and nieces Kimberly Lane Miller (DeSantis) and Kelly Lane Miller (Harley) of Eldorado, OH, from her younger sister Cheryl and (Richard) Miller.

Sondra and her late husband “Jim” Reyer’s combined beloved children (spouses and grandchildren), from previous marriages (respectively, Mr. Robert Burton Barrett of Biloxi, MS and Mrs. Alice Ione Easley Reyer of Auburn, IN, both deceased) are (eldest to youngest/Reyer then Barrett), Daughter Lori Jo (Dennis Lane) Sexton with children Dana, Ted, Amy, and Jennifer;

Son Daniel Lawrence (Ardys Leigh) Reyer with children Alicia, Kaleigh, Lacey, and Annie; Daughter Rhonda Jean (Gary Edward) Castle, (both deceased); Daughter Martie Lee (David Angelo, deceased) Panarelli with children Angelo, David2 and Amelia; Daughter Kellie Lane (Nigel Stuart) Bearman with children Max, John, and Curtis; Son Robert William (Karen Sue) Barrett with children Lauren, Ethan and Peyton.  Along with several great grandchildren, and still growing…

It will be a Big Family Reunion.

Sondra and Jim also shared life-long friendships with local brethren, who became loved-ones along the way.

The family would like to especially thank Ms. Maurine Perino for her dedication and friendship in serving the late Mrs. Sondra Reyer for a number of years after the passing of Mr. Reyer, along with other family members.

A Family Memorial will be held this May in Montana.